


We are the Walking Dead

by Echoes19



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: 30+chapters, Book - Freeform, Enjoy!, F/F, F/M, Follows events of the walking dead, Inspired by The Walking Dead, M/M, Swearing, The Walking Dead References, Violence, implies sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 125
Words: 133,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24428665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echoes19/pseuds/Echoes19
Summary: Starts from the point of view of Alana, a 22 year old trainee veterinary surgeon, meets the group that will grow to become her family. Contains violence, obviously, its the zombie apocalypse.
Relationships: Lori Grimes/Rick Grimes, Maggie Greene/Glenn Rhee, Original Character/Daryl Dixon, Rick Grimes/Michonne
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	1. The Walkers start their walk

**Author's Note:**

> This starts from Season 1 of the Walking Dead and will carry on from there, loosely following the tv shows events, it is going to be a very long fancfiction with many chapters (like 100 chapters) I am going to do it like every 10 episodes is a full season of the walking dead. I will be able to fit in a lot of content so if you have any requests or suggestions please comment below.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starts from the point of view of Alana, a 22 year old trainee veterinary surgeon, meets the group that will grow to become her family. Contains violence, obviously, its the zombie apocalypse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This starts from Season 1 of the Walking Dead and will carry on from there, loosely following the tv shows events, it is going to be a very long fanfiction with many chapters (like 100 chapters) I am going to do it like every 10 episodes is a full season of the walking dead. Edit: All speech is in bold so that it is easier to see.

Chapter 1- The Walkers Start Their Walk

It had been such a long day. I didn't know how it was going to turn out, but never would I have guessed this. 

BRZZZZZZZ BRZZZZZZZZZ

My alarm was the bane of my life. With a sigh, I sat up and pushed my alarm off. It was the weekend, finally! I lived in a small studio apartment in the city of Atlanta, but it felt smaller as I lived alone.

I don't remember a time when I hadn't lived alone. My parents died when I was younger, so I was left to fend for myself on the streets. But one day, a woman showed kindness and took me in. She gave me all the normal opportunities a child would have, and I was happy. Right up until the point where she developed an incurable disease about a year ago. She went to the hospital but never came back. The last call I had received from her was her saying that she was 'being taken to a government facility to contain her virus.' She said she would be fine and that she would be back to make me dinner. She never came back though. I always wanted to grow up in the footsteps of my parents so when I was 16 and graduating, I decided I wanted to become a veterinary surgeon and help animals. It was very difficult to study for but eventually, it was time for final exams. This was the weekend before finals. 

I tried to study at my desk but the beeping of car horns and the shouts from outside disturbed me too much. Deciding to give it a break, I got up and went to my wardrobe, I couldn't stay in my pj's all day again. I opened it and chose a black vest and some shorts. It was a warm day outside. I made my way to the bathroom and closed the door. In the mirror, I saw myself. The same dark straight black hair that reached my shoulders just about, was beginning to get tangled so I ran a brush through it until it was presentable. (Almost) My hazel eyes had a little bit tiredness showing but it wasn't enough to need to wear concealer. My pale skin was clear enough finally to go outside without being self-conscious of yet another thing. I had freckles that covered the bridge of my nose, many people told me this was cute, but others said I looked weird. Which was great... My mother and father both had freckles too, so I wore them with pride. 

Once I was dressed, I headed back to my desk and put headphones on. Half an hour later, I managed to study a little bit. It was starting to get to midday. So that meant it was time to head to the animal shelter just out of the city where I volunteered every Saturday. I picked up my rucksack and stuffed a book of vet surgery in, a phone, my glasses, a bottle of water, and as usual the little necklace that had a picture of my family in it. 

I stepped onto the bustling streets and walked quickly over to my small car. It was in need of repair, for sure. I climbed in and put the key in, the engine sputtered to life. I pulled out of the apartment block and onto the motorway. I was finally out of Atlanta. 

After driving for another 10 minutes, the traffic seemed to reach a standstill. People were getting out of cars to see what was going on. Finally, curiosity got the better of me and I got out of my car, I heard screams coming from the city and something moved in the forest. Fear was rising in me and tensions were getting higher from everyone because of the sun's rays. Helicopters suddenly started to surround the city. I opened my bag and got my phone out. I called my best friend Lilly, she answered on the first ring. 

**“Hello?”** She answered, but her voice was full of fear. 

**“Lilly! It's me, Alana, you need to get out of the city now, there are helicopters surrounding it and it doesn't look good. You need to come right now!”** I spoke quickly. 

**“What do you mean? I am in my car, wait for me Alana promise m-“** She was cut off by sudden ear-splitting explosions. The helicopters were shooting missiles into the city. I watched speechlessly. Screams filled the air and tears began to fill my eyes. The helicopters started to fly away as the fire blazed from all corners, buildings still stood and there was one area of Atlanta that hadn't been hit. Through the stinging tears, I could barely make out a few houses and a hospital had been left untouched.

I lifted the phone back to my ear but all I could hear was static. The tears started to spill and I couldn't think. The fire would stop in a day due to the rain that was forecast. But still, lives were lost, beyond measure. I couldn't think. I needed to be away from people. I put my phone back in my bag and slung the rucksack over my shoulder. My car was going to still be there when I got back but I put my keys back in my bag in case someone decided they needed to be somewhere else. The forest was the closed place I could get to quiet so that was where I ran to. 

I ran for what felt like years. My legs began to hurt so I sat down on a nearby log. I tried to comprehend what just happened. But this brought more tears. I suddenly began to sob. Uncontrollably. What was happening? Who did this? Was it the government? Why? I sat on the log for hours. Until night started to draw in. My thoughts were interrupted by a low groan behind me. I stood up and looked behind me. Wiping tears from my cheeks. I saw a shadow limping towards me. It kept making groaning sounds. **“Hello? Are you okay? Do you need medical help?”** I asked fear starting to fill me. The shadow didn't answer instead it just kept advancing. Finally, it got to a gap in the trees where the moonlight shone down. What I saw almost made me faint from horror. It was a man. Or what used to be a man. Its face was ripped, and dried blood was oozing from its neck. The eyes were pale and dead. It looked dead. I started to step backward faster and faster. I started to run. It was walking faster behind me too. To my horror, I tripped over the log and fell to the ground, hitting my head on a rock. **“Shit.”** I cursed. I started to see double. But then the thing stumbled into my view. Its mouth was open and ready to devour me. I was looking straight at my death. Or what I thought was the end. I watched as a gunshot entered the shadows shredded head and exited followed by blood. The shadow fell to the ground next to me. That was the last thing I saw before I passed out. 


	2. The Long Road Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana is introduced to the original crew and shows how she progresses with them over a month.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, so I am posting the chapter 2 now so that I can have more time on the next chapter because its going to be difficult to write. This one will be just mainly speech and interactions between all the characters. Thank you for the support and I hope you like it :)

The Long Road Begins

My head was pounding. I couldn't feel anything. Or see anything. All my senses were shut off. Was I dead? What was happening?

Suddenly everything came rushing back to me. I heard concerned voices nearby. Then I felt where I was and the heat beating down on my body and face. My eyes slowly blinked open and adjusted to the light painfully. I groaned which made the talking stop. I tried to get up but someone pushed me back down. **'I wouldn't advise that, my friend.'** It was a male voice. Maybe early 60's? I pushed myself up so that I could take in my surroundings. I saw a camp. A caravan behind me with the door open. Cars creating a sort of protective barrier around the camp. There were 2 children drawing together with a woman with short white hair supervising them both. A man was leaning on a police car. He had dark short curly hair and brown eyes, he looked like a cop. I looked to my right and saw three people very close to me. All looking at me curiously. There was the man that had obviously spoken before, he looked concerned and genuinely worried, he appeared to be wearing a beige bucket hat to keep the sun from his face and he was holding a sniper in his hand. There was a woman with long dark hair that reached her hips and she had a kind look on her face. And another woman who looked younger than the other two, she had blonde hair that was tied up and her eyes told me that I didn't look too good. 

**'Hey, you're awake! I'm Dale.'** The man said kindly. I smiled back, entirely confused at what was happening.

 **'Hey there sweetie, you hit your head quite hard on that rock back there, it was a good job Daryl saved you. You were bleeding and unconscious so we fixed you up for you. Let me introduce you to everyone. I'm Lori Grimes. This is Amy and Dale has already introduced himself. That's Shane over there by the police car. We had to talk him into letting us help you, he didn't want to waste medical resources on someone we didn't know so you might want to show him you are worth it. Over there, the children, the boy is my son, Carl Grimes and the girl is Sophia and her mother Carol. Carol's husband Ed is at the lake and he isn't in a good mood today so you might want to avoid him. Daryl is the one that saved your life. He's probably out in the forest again as usual trying to hunt some poor animal. Merle, Daryl's brother is out by the lake with Ed and T- Dog is just over there making sure the water is still fresh and clean. Andrea is Amy's sister and she is fishing in the lake with Merle and Ed. Glenn is over by his car trying to get the radio working again. We hope you can stay with us. Well, we insist you stay with us as there is not much of an option. We saw you had a veterinary book in your bag and thought you could be our doctor of sorts.'** Lori informed me. 

My head was swimming but I finally managed to say, **' Uh hi thank you for helping me. I'm Alana. I guess I could be your doctor but whats going on? Why am I here? Who was that in the forest trying to kill me? What happened to Atlanta?'** The questions started to roll out. 

**'Wait, you don't know about the walkers?'** Amy asked, amused.

**'Walkers?'**

**'Dead people. Walking. You shoot them in the head and you kill them. Atlanta was apparently crawling with them and I guess the government thought it was better to just nuke the place up.'** The man called Shane had walked over.

 **'Wait, you're saying dead people, are walking around, and trying to eat people?'** I spluttered.

 **'That's exactly what I'm saying.'** He replied.

 **'Oh, I'm going to need a second.'** I whispered. Shock paralyzing me.

They nodded and went in separate directions leaving me alone. 

After a few minutes, I accepted that the world had lost its way. It already had, how hard would it be for it to be fixed?

I checked I still had everything in my backpack and put the necklace around my neck. I would need my family now more than ever. I was about to go and introduce myself to people when there was a rustle from the trees. It was worrying, or comforting, how fast Shane, Daryl, and T- Dog pulled out their guns. The rustle got louder when suddenly a man ran out of the forest holding a crossbow and an animal that had a chunk bitten out of it. **'Oh, it's just Daryl everyone go back to whatever you were doing.'** Shane ordered. 

I made my way to the animal. This was an instinct that had come from training as a vet. **'Did you kill it or did something else kill it?'** I said with a warning in my voice.

 **'Woah, chill, it was already dead. We can just cut around the bite. It'll be good for dinner.'** Daryl said. I realized that I hadn't actually looked at him.

When I looked up I saw something I wasn't expecting. **'Daryl Dixon? Is that you?'** I had met Daryl when we were both 7 years old. I was on the streets and he was basically living on the streets when he wasn't with his brother. How had I not realized until now? We had been lifelong friends until I moved to the city. I didn't realize he had moved too. 

It was embarrassing to admit but I had a crush on him ever since I first met him and it was refreshing to see that he had still kept that twinkle in his eyes from when he was younger. 

His eyes widened when he realized who I was. I dropped my bag and ran straight to him. I hugged him so tight I probably restricted his breathing. He hugged me back. Tears filled my eyes. **'Alana? I didn't think I would see you again. What are you doing here?'** He gasped into my shoulder. His voice wobbling slightly. 

**'I am not sure, to be honest. What are you doing here?'** I asked, laughing slightly.

 **'I could say the same thing.'** He replied.

He finally let go and looked at me. He hadn't seen me since I was 13 years old. We were the same age.

 **'Wow. You have grown.'** He laughed. 

**'You are still taller than me. 9 years later. '** We laughed together. Just like the old times. We together again. 

Shane and Lori made their way to us both.

 **'Well, that's not something you see every day.'** Shane said in awe at the fact that Daryl hugged someone.

 **'You two know each other? Wow. That's a strange coincidence. Anyway, dinner is almost ready.'** Lori smiled. She called Carl, Sophia, and Carol over to the campfire at the center of camp. 

Daryl and I followed her. We sat next to each other as I filled everyone in on where I was from and what my backstory was. Of course, Dixon already knew most of it but he was watching me almost protectively. I was beginning to get worried he liked me as a sister. 

Once everyone had finished eating and started to head to their tents, I stayed behind as Daryl helped me set up a tent. Once we had finished, I lay down on the grass next to the tent and looked up at the stars. I patted the ground next to me to indicate to Daryl to join me. He did. We could have talked for hours but instead, we just looked at the stars and occasionally each other, until finally, I broke the silence. **'So, did you finally meet anyone when I was away?'** I inquired, trying to be subtle. 

**'You know, I failed school and I can still tell when you are trying to figure it if I am single or not. You suck at being subtle.'** He said looking at me with a smile. 

**'Well, are you going to answer me?'** I asked embarrassed. 

**'I haven't found anyone, no. Neither has Merle but you probably know he isn't looking for someone in that way in anyway.'** He laughed. 

**'Merle would never go in a serious relationship. But hey I was wondering if you...um I am so awkward.'** I stuttered. In truth, I'm not sure what I was trying to ask at this moment but I knew what I felt for him and I think he knew it too.

 **'Al...'** He got closer to me. My heart started to beat faster as he got closer and closer until finally, his lips reached mine. It wasn't a lustful kiss. It was more of a kiss that confirmed he had feelings for me and had had them for a long time. As if he was finally able to tell me that without having to use words. The moment lasted what felt like forever until finally, we broke apart and smiled at each other. 

**'I never knew you had it in you, Dixon.'** I laughed, trying to hide the beaming smile that growing on my face alongside the blushes on my cheeks. 

He pushed me back jokingly and we laughed together until finally, we were both tired enough to sleep. Under the stars.

1 month later

It was another day, in the apocalypse. There hadn't been any signs of life nearby apart from our camp. Luckily the only medical practice I had needed was how to put a plaster on when Carl fell over playing tag with Sophia. 

Daryl and I were closer than ever. We took daily walks through the forest together. It was beautiful.

Until one day, I was cleaning my medical equipment that Carol had in the boot of her car when a van showed up. Glenn and the others had been a supply run which had taken longer than usual and people at the camp were starting to get worried. Everyone got out from the van apart from Merle, which made me nervous. Daryl wasn't back yet from his own scouting trip either. But this time, another man got out of the car too. He had short brown hair with a messy perm and he was wearing a cop uniform, the same as Shane's. Lori's face was shocked and Carl ran up to the man, followed by Lori and Shane. What was happening? Who is this man?

Slowly he walked up to us, as Lori introduced us he smiled happily. His blue eyes shining brightly. He looked a lot like Carl. Just as I figured it out he said **,' Hey, I'm Rick Grimes. Carl's father.'**


	3. The Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rick is back but Merle is missing, a group go back into Atlanta to find him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is largely based on the events of episode 3 of the walking dead but some events are missed out due to how long the chapter needs to be. Stay tuned as the next episode will contain some character deaths.WARNING, THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS THEMES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.  
> Hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 3 - The Brother

Without even having to speak to Rick, I knew that he was going to be the leader of this group. He was going to lead us through our worst times. I could just feel it.

This didn't help the fact that Merle was still missing. Andrea asked, **' Wait, where is Merle?'**

Everyone suddenly started to work out what could have happened. T-dogs face darkened. Had he been bitten?

 **'He was endangering the group. We had to chain him up until he stopped. We were in a hurry and I guess, we forgot he was up there, but we can still go back for him now.'** T-dog said quickly.

Before anyone could comprehend what he just said, there was a rustle in the trees, and Daryl appeared, with a smile on his face. 

**'Merle! Merle! Where are you? I just caught the big-'** He stopped in his tracks when he saw that everyone was eyeing him nervously. 

**'Where's Merle?'** His voice had a dangerous tone to it. Everyone started to look at me, working out that they wanted me to talk to him I slowly got closer.

 **'Daryl, Merle was with the group, he was putting the group in danger so they made sure he couldn't continue doing that. There is a high chance he is still alive though if you go back to Atlanta.'** I said calmly. I could see the shock in his eyes, but quickly it turned to anger. He walked past me and up to Rick.

 **'Who's this?** ' He asked roughly.

 **'I'm Rick Grimes. Lori's husband and Carl's father. I am sorry for what happened to your brother.'** Rick said, he could see that Daryl was getting more and more upset so he started to reach for his pistol. 

**'Whoa stop, if you go back to Atlanta now, you can be back before dark. T-dog, Rick, Daryl, and I can go.'** Andrea said, swiftly breaking up any fight that was about to break out. They agreed, and Daryl picked up his crossbow. 

As I watched the van leave, I felt something bad inside me. Was it worry? Or maybe even sadness? Something about this wasn't going to make me happy.

Pushing negative feelings aside, for now, I walked over to Carol who was preparing to go to the river with Amy and Lori. **'Hey, Carol. Is there anything I can help with?'** I asked, trying to push what just happened out of my mind. I hadn't seen Carol smile once around Ed. I slowly started to figure out what relationship they had so I kept a close eye on them both. The conditions of the world had brought the group closer. like a family due to the many near-death experiences we could have. So Carol was like a sister to me already. 

**'Oh, thank you, I'm about to go and do some laundry if you want to help with that. Thank you, Alana. I'm sorry to hear about Merle by the way.'** She replied, in her timid voice.

 **'Its ok, I still have hope everyone will return safely. Now this laundry, I will carry the basket down now. I guess Amy and Lori are already by the river?'** I asked, picking up the basket.

 **'Yes, they are. The children are also there. Ed is supposed to be watching them.'** I saw something change in her eyes when she said his name. Not in a good way. I nodded and walked to the river. 

When I saw everyone there, Lori was talking to Amy, Ed was lying on a towel staring into the distance, not paying attention to Carl and Sophia at all. I walked over to the board that we used to lay the clothes out and started to unpack the basket. Carol followed behind me. **'Is it ok if I just go and quickly talk to Lori and Amy?'** She asked. She always asked before she did anything. 

**'Of course! You don't have to ask me. I think I have this laundry under control.'** I laughed. She smiled and headed over to Lori and Amy. 

I heard movement behind me and saw Ed starting to get up, watching Carol's movements. I watched him nervously, worried about what he was about to do. When he reached them, he said loudly **,' Carol, what are you doing? You should be doing the laundry! Get up, now!'** He pulled her up to her feet harshly and pushed her over to where I was. 

**'Hey, don't touch her!'** Lori and I said at the same time. 

**'Or what? She's my wife, and none of your business.'** He looked as if he was about to strike Carol when there was a shout from behind us. 

Shane was running over. **'Ed, if you touch any of these women again, I swear,'** He warned.

Lori, Amy, and I rushed to Carol to see if she was ok, hearing as an argument rose between the cop and Ed. It was starting to get heated. Then Ed tried to throw a punch. Which was a bad idea as Shane was trained for this kind of thing. He pushed Ed to the ground and locked him in place. He started to throw violent punches, knocking Ed out. Carol watched in horror. Amy ran over to the children to make sure they didn't see any of this. It was definitely obvious what kind of person Ed had chosen to be. 

Later on, Ed was sulking in his tent, Carol was talking nervously with Lori, Amy and I and the children were sleeping in tents. 

There was a rumble of a car engine and Shane stood up with his shotgun ready. The van appeared.

Everyone got out. Everyone except Merle. Daryl walked faster than the others over towards me and he dropped his crossbow on his floor.

The force of his hug almost made me fall over. He buried his face in my shoulder to hide his emotions from the others. I put my arm around him and whispered, **' Its ok, Dixon. It's ok.'**

He seemed to think differently as he walked back over to T-dog looking like he was about to punch him. Rick was faster. He raised his gun. **'Don't get any closer, Daryl. It wasn't T-Dogs fault this happened.'** Rick warned. My heartbeat quickened as the gun was raised towards Daryl's forehead.

 **'He's gone. The only thing left is his hand! He could have been eaten by walkers and you are treating me as if I'm the bad guy.'** Just as things started to get heated, Daryl gave up and stormed off to his tent. 

**'His hand was missing?'** I asked whispering. 

**'Yeah, we tied him up, he must have cut his hand off to escape. He cauterized the wound with cookery equipment but it could still be infected. We should keep an eye out. Its been a long day, everyone should get some sleep.'** Rick replied. He looked tired.

Everyone started to make their way over to their tents. I walked over to Daryl's tent. He was sitting with his head in his hands. I zipped the tent up so we had privacy and sat next to him. Resting my head on his shoulder. **'Hey, I remember when I was on the streets and you'd come to visit me. With your brother sometimes too. After a year or so of knowing me, he always greeted me by ruffling my hair and calling me street girl.'** I said with a sad smile. Daryl looked at me with tears in his eyes. **'Hey Daryl listen, he could still be alive, Rick says he cauterized the wound which means he made out of the building, and off the roof. He is probably still alive.'** This made him feel a little bit better. I started to close my eyes. 

The air was filled with groans coming from outside. Walkers were here.


	4. The First Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The camp is attacked by walkers. 2 people lose their lives. A new plan is created.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains character death, I have never written a character death, so I'm going to try and make it as significant as I can. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 4- The First Attack

Daryl looked up. There were growls coming from outside. Walkers. I picked up the gun that Glenn had given me on one of his supply runs. I had engraved it with my initials and a symbol of a tree because I loved nature.

Daryl picked his crossbow up out his finger to his mouth to signal **'Be quiet'**. I nodded and slowly unzipped the tent, I crawled out, closely followed by Daryl. There were about 6 walkers making their way over to the tents. I turned around and saw even more walkers. They had made it to Carol, Sophia and Ed's tent. Fear filled me, as I searched the area for the 3 of them. I suddenly found them huddled together with Lori and Carl out of harm's way. 

Daryl had already taken out 3 of them so I headed over to help him. On my way over, something next to me groaned and jumped, pushing me to the ground so that it was on top of me. Its mouth was biting the air close to my face, as sweat began to build on my forehead. My breath quickened and I pushed the gun to its temple. I pulled the trigger. The bang from the gun was louder than I expected. My ears were ringing so I didn't hear the shout from Amy behind me. Blood covered me from the dead walker, and fear paralyzed me. Daryl pushed the walker off me and helped me up. **'Alana, are you ok?'** He asked, his voice was muffled by the ringing, which was slowly leaving my ears. 

When I looked behind me, the scene was extremely upsetting. Amy had a bite on her neck and was lying in the arms of Andrea. Shane, Rick, and Glenn were all holding their guns at the forest in case anymore came. Lori, Carol, Carl, and Sophia were all watching in horror. My hearing came rushing back to me. The cries of Andrea as she sobbed over her dying sister. **'Oh, no. You are ok. Don't leave me. Amy, I love you. I love you so much.'** Andrea stroked Amy's hair as her eyes started to drift away to a far off land. Her arm dropped. She was gone.

As Andrea was crying over her sister's body, people were starting to gain what little composure they had left. I suddenly realized that Carol had been crying. I ran over to Lori and Carol and kneeled in front of them. **'What's wrong? What happened? Are you ok?'** I asked.

Lori shook her head. **'Ed was attacked. He's dead.'** Carol choked. 

**'I'm so sorry Carol. I'm here for you.'** I hugged her.

Hours later, all of the walker's bodies were burned then buried. Andrea had been holding her sister right up until Amy tried to bite her. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she shot her reanimated sister and finally laid her to rest. Andrea was sitting in the caravan, while Dale was trying to comfort her. Rick and Shane had successfully cleared everything and were starting to think up a plan for moving camp. I had checked everyone for any scratches or bites, just in case and Daryl was starting to pack up. 

Rick called everyone around the campfire. **'I am very sorry for Amy and Ed. They will be remembered.'** There were murmurs of agreement. **'We cannot stay here, our location is now open to other walkers to invade. We must move as soon as possible. Does anyone have any suggestions for where we should go?'** A memory suddenly made its way to the front of my head. When my adoptive mother was taken to the 'government facility' to be treated. **'We need to go to the CDC.'**


	5. On The Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They make their way to the CDC.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, so this is going to be the penultimate chapter for season 1. This chapter is mainly dialog, but they do find some walkers along the way. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 5- On The Road

**'The CDC was trying to find a cure last time I checked. We should go there, it'll probably be safe.'** I tried to persuade them all. 

**'I don't like how you say 'probably safe'.'** Dale was skeptical. 

**'Well, it sounds like our best option. We should get some sleep then leave by tomorrow morning.'** Rick ordered. Everyone agreed and headed back into the tents. The tents were moved closer together now for safety in case something like that ever happened again. This meant that it wouldn't be very good of Daryl and me to talk like we usually did if people were trying to sleep close by. Instead, I just rested beside him as we slowly drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Once everyone was awake and had eaten the scarce amount of food we had left, we packed up our belongings. I slung my rucksack over my back and made sure the necklace, with the picture of my family, was still around my neck and then climbed onto the back of Daryl's motorcycle. 

Daryl and I traveled on his motorcycle, Dale, Glenn, and Andrea went in the caravan, Rick, Lori, Carl, Sophia, and Carol went in the 4 by 4 and Shane drove in the jeep with T-dog. I had the map so Daryl was in front of everyone. 

The feeling that of the wind rushing through my hair was exhilarating, the speed of the motorcycle made adrenaline pump through my veins. I loved it, I knew Daryl had owned this bike for as long as I can remember, it was a gift from his brother. 

As night started to set in, we pulled over to a nearby clearing. The children stayed in the car so that we could clear out all the walkers, there were about 5. Daryl knew how to start a fire, which was useful. **'How far do we have to go tomorrow? I don't think the car has much fuel left.'** Lori warned. 

I took the map out and counted the miles left to go. **'We will probably arrive there at about 3 pm tomorrow. Does everyone have enough fuel to make the journey? If not, can't we just siphon from the abandoned cars?'** I suggested thoughtfully. Rick nodded. In the morning, we continued our journey. 

Finally, we arrived at the CDC building. But it looked deserted. There was an infestation of walkers outside the doors as well. Everyone turned to Rick awaiting a plan. He nodded and said **,'Everyone that has a weapon follow me we are going to clear out the walkers, everyone that doesn't follow loosely behind us and protect the children.'** I got my gun out ready. We charged them head-on, taking out as many as we could see. There were too many though. We reached the door with more than 35 walkers closing in on us, we were running out of bullets. Everyone started to bang on the door for any sign of life inside, it was our only hope. The walkers got closer and closer until they were within biting distance. Just as a walker tried to bite my wrist the doors suddenly made a click sound. **'Everybody in!'** An unknown voice shouted. We rushed in like a herd of elephants. The door shut with a loud slam behind us. From the looks of the interior, the CDC had given up looking for a cure. There was rubble everywhere. Walker's bodies were stinking up the room, it was not a sight or smell for the children. I noticed a timid looking man in the corner. **'Follow me, you look like you all had a rough night's sleep, there are some rooms upstairs with a shower, if you want dinner then you should meet down here in about 2 hours.'** He squeaked. Everyone looked at each other. Did we trust this guy? Then again he was offering free showers and a bed to stay in. We nodded and followed him up steep stairs. 

There were many rooms on each side of the corridor. It looked so empty though. Everyone started entering their separate rooms, Daryl and I entered the second one on the left. It looked like a hotel. There was a large double bed and a desk in the corner, a room off to the side had a large shower. It was perfect. I dumped my bag on the desk and Daryl put his crossbow down next to my bag. **'How about, we have a warm shower then fill our faces with food and drink?'** I said with a laugh. He smiled back and nodded. I entered the bathroom closely followed by Daryl, I took my blood-stained clothes off and let my hair down, it fell down to my armpits. If I wasn't careful, I would have hair like Rapunzel in almost a year. I turned around to see that he had also taken his clothes off, and was admiring me with a smile that made me blush. I turned the shower on expecting a flurry of freezing cold water, it was warm. I beamed at Daryl and I climbed into the shower with him. He gazed into my eyes and I embraced him as the warm water fell onto our skin. **'I love you.'** I whispered. I felt him smile and he replied, **'I love you too.'**

After half an hour in the shower, Daryl escorted me into the bedroom. And laid me onto the bed. The next half hour felt amazing.

With happiness and pleasure full to the brim inside of me, we both made our way downstairs to a room that had laughs echoing from it. It had many desks with computers on them but right at the center of the room was a large table with food and even wine on it. Everyone was sitting around happiness ricocheting around the room. We joined them. It was the happiest I had felt since seeing Daryl again. Everyone was finally happy.

Well, you know what they say, the calm before the storm.


	6. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don't go as planned as their new host is hiding something deadly from them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the season finale and I will be taking a couple of days off before I start season 2. I hope that you enjoy! :)

Chapter 6- The Storm

I woke up in a double bed, not knowing how I got there. Daryl was snoring next to me. 

I must have got drunk last night. When I tried to sit up I was pushed back down by the pounding in my head. With a groan, Daryl woke up next to me. **'You were pretty drunk last night. I got some painkillers while you were asleep.'** He handed me a small tablet and a glass of water from the bedside table. I mumbled thanks and took the tablet.

When we reached downstairs, I noticed I wasn't the only one that was hungover. Glenn was resting his head on the table while Dale put a wet flannel on Glenn's neck, Rick was also looking far more irritable today. When Daryl saw this he chuckled to himself. I faintly remember the host, that had provided us with the wine and food, introducing himself as Edwin Jenner. Dr. Edwin Jenner. The rest of the night was a blur.

Once everyone was around the table, we started eating. My stomach rumbled thanks as I scoffed down toast and water. Suddenly, Shane spoke up in a serious voice **,'I am sure you know that we didn't come to CDC looking for alcohol.'**

Andrea agreed, **' Yeah, are you working on a cure?'**

Jenner looked down **,'Maybe you should see this.'** He walked over to the big screen at the front of the room, everyone followed. He turned the screen on. I saw a brain, of someone lying down. It was an x-ray so you could see all of their bright numerous neural pathways lighting up all-around their skull. **'This is a video of someone that was bitten. It shows as their brain deteriorated.'** Jenner explained. **'This is when the bite started to affect the brain.'** I watched as a black vein-like shape crawled through the brain stem into the brain. Almost like flicking a switch, the neural pathways went dark. They were dead. **'Now it shows the person having completely lost all of their memories and everything that made them who they were.'** He said with a hint of sadness in his voice. I noticed beside me as Andrea flinched. Tears filling in her eyes. Jenner stopped for a second. **'She lost someone this way. Her sister.'** Lori told him. He nodded, understanding. He turned the screen off. **'So what is it?'** Rick asked. 

**'You tell me. It could be a parasite, cell malfunction, bacteria, a whole number of things. No one knows. so, therefore, to answer your question, there is no cure. It's simple. You get bit, you die.'** Jenner told everyone. A dark wave washed over everyone's faces. Was this the end? No. We had to have hope. There was a safe place somewhere out there. Not everyone thought this though. 

Suddenly, the doors to the big room began to shut, locking us in. **'What's happening?'** Carol asked. Jenner was typing into a computer. A timer showed up on the big screen. 10 minutes. 9 minutes 59 seconds. 'That clocks going down. What are you doing?' Fear began raging through everyone's face.

Jenner remained calm. **'I'm saving you all from future pain. And past pain. This building is rigged to explode in 9 minutes 20 seconds. So start saying your goodbyes.'** I stared at Daryl. Tears starting to spill over my eyes. Daryl picked up a nearby axe and ran to the door, closely followed by Shane and T-dog with their own axes. Carl and Sophia began to cry into their mother's arms. **'You can't do this. No one agreed to it. Let us go!'** Rick insisted. 

It took a couple of minutes, but finally, Jenner was persuaded when Sophia said to Caro **l,' Mom, I don't want to die.'**

 **'You'll have 5 minutes to get out and get far away before it explodes. Rick, I need to tell you something.'** Rick ran over and Jenner whispered something in his ear. Suddenly the doors lifted and everyone piled out. The window was so sturdy that even an axe could not pierce it. We were going to die. Right then. 

But suddenly I remembered something. ' **I found this when I was doing the laundry. It was in your pocket, Rick.'** I pulled out a hand grenade and carefully handed it over to him, my hands shaking. 

**'Everybody get down!'** Rick screamed as he lobbed the grenade at a panel of the window. With a massive bang, the window shattered. I estimated we had 2 minutes to evacuate. Everyone ran as fast as they could. I tripped on a rock and fell down. I could feel the heat behind me. I watched as everyone ran back to the caravan and cars. Not realizing I was down. 

Just in time, Daryl noticed and sprinted over to help me up we dove behind a wall for cover. The air was filled with a bang louder than anything before. Fire rushed past me and engulfed the air around me. I couldn't breathe. At least it wouldn't touch me. I put a hand to my mouth and ran over to the safety of the caravan, followed by Daryl.

The building had completely collapsed. Rubble piled mountainously high and the noise drew a large hoard of walkers over to investigate.

 **'We need a new plan.'** Rick said, regaining his breath. **'One that won't get us killed.'**

 **'Let's try Fort Bennet. That's got to be safe.'** Shane suggested. Everyone nodded and ran over to their vehicles before the walkers realized where we were. 

Our longest journey began and maybe our last.


	7. Run Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group makes their way to Fort Bennet but they are stopped midway. Will they make it there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its the beginning of season 2- there will be a lot of drama in this season so stay tuned.  
> ps: thank you for reading this, it really makes me feel happy knowing people can read my work. :)

Chapter 1 of Season 2= Run Away

It had been days since the CDC incident. We had been on the road so long, it was strange to think how far away from Atlant we must have been.

I was riding on the back of Daryl's motorcycle when I saw it, the road ahead was completely gridlocked by cars, abandoned cars, or cars that had dead drivers.

Daryl pulled to the side. Making everyone behind stop like dominoes as well. **'What's happening?'** Dale asked, as he was at the back of the 'transport train' and couldn't see what was happening. 

**'The road ahead is completely blocked. We are going to have to find another route.'** I suggested. 

**'Let's take a break and look through some of these cars for supplies.'** Rick ordered. Everyone agreed and started searching, while Rick and Dale watched for walkers. 

A few minutes later, I heard a splash of water and turned my head so fast, I could have broken my neck. Shane had found a truckload of water. My throat burned as a response to this and I ran over and gulped down as much as I could. But suddenly the air was filled with hushed whispers. I looked around and saw that Rick was gesturing for everyone to get under the car. I was closest to T-dog so I whispered, **' Get down under the car, there are walkers coming.'** I dived under and watched in horror as T-dog tried to follow me but his arm got cut open on the car door. Just as I started to hear the walkers, Daryl came into view with 2 dead walkers carcasses and put one on top of T-dog and one on himself. 

There was a pool of blood starting to surround T-dog. My urges to help him started to get overwhelming. But fear overruled every other feeling when the feet of the walkers came by. They stumbled past. I counted 40 more than there were at the CDC compound. I kept my eyes on T-dog making sure he was ok. He had passed out. 

11 minutes later, after repeatedly checking if it was safe to come out, I crawled out, no one else had moved but T-dog urgently needed medical aid. I still had my rucksack with first aid kit so I pushed the carcass of him and lifted his arm, cleaning the area with antiseptic, then I quickly but carefully stitched the wound up and dressed it with a bandage. I heard a scream.

It was coming from behind me, I turned around and saw Sophia being pulled out from under a car by her feet. I didn't even think about my next actions, I ran over but it was too late. Sophia had run into the woods by the road with 2 walkers following after her. Rick got up and shouted, **' I'll go get her, you all stay here!'** Shock filled me, my mind switched to Carol. I saw her whimpering, tears streaming down her face. Lori was holding her in her arms comfortingly. I ran over. **'Carol! She will be ok, Rick's going to find her, I promise.** ' She nodded. I tried to put as much confidence and care as I could into that sentence but couldn't help the fear be audible too. It was out of my hands now. I thought of T-dog. 

Daryl was helping T-dog stand up. **'Daryl, we need to move him to Dale's truck. He needs to lie down, he's lost a lot of blood.'** Daryl nodded and headed over to the truck. I followed. T-dog laid down on the sofa bed in the caravan truck. **'Hey, T-dog. You're going to be ok, I have stitched the wound and dressed it.'** I told him. 

**'You don't sound so certain.'** He whispered weakly.

I laughed nervously and said, **'Well you have lost a lot of blood and I need to get you sterile equipment. I did the best I could but I can't stop it from getting infected.'** I tried to say in the kindest voice possible. I had been reading my veterinary book over the past month or so, and I had found that some of it was a lot like human medicine. If I had just had another month at school, I could have graduated. But that was in the past now. **'Are you ok?'** I asked Daryl.

**'Yeah, I'm fine. Are you ok?'** He asked. I nodded. Suddenly there was a rustle in the trees and Rick appeared. Without Sophia. 

**'I told her to stay put, so I could go and fight off the walkers but when I got back she was gone. Andrea, Shane, and Daryl follow me.'** Rick explained.

**'I want to come too. Sophia was my friend and I need to learn how to hold a gun.'** Carls little voice created a wave of silence over the group.

**'I think it would be a good idea. He needs to learn eventually.'** Shane suggested, smiling at Carl. 

**'He's not your son though. He's mine and I think he is too young, he could get hurt!'** Lori exclaimed. Everyone looked at Rick. It was up to him now. 

**'He can come with us. Lori, don't worry, I'll keep him in my sights at all times.'** Lori sighed at Rick and said goodbye to them all. 

**'Be careful out there. I love you and don't want you to get hurt.'** I told Daryl before he left. 

**'I will be fine, I promise.'** He smiled comfortingly and winked at me before following the rest of them into the dark forest. Trying to shake my mind off what just happened, I headed over to the truck, where T-dog was resting. I changed his bandage and checked the stitches. He was good to go, but how long would it be before it got infected? A sudden gunshot cracked through the air. It came from the forest. Without thinking, I grabbed my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and ran into the forest. Hearing **, 'No, Alana, come back! It's not safe!.'** From Dale. What if Daryl had been shot?

I ran over to the sound of voices. **'Alana? What are you doing here?'** Daryl's voice came from next to me. Shock filled my eyes. Carl was lying on the ground with Rick crying over him. He had blood spreading over his abdomen. A man that I had not seen before was standing in the corner looking just as shocked as I was. He was holding a shotgun. **'I swear, I didn't mean to. I was aiming for that deer! I promise!.'** He had a southern accent. 

**'Alana, do something. Help my boy, please!'** Rick's voice broke as he looked at me with pleading blue eyes. I knelt beside Carl and lifted his shirt. There was an entry wound. I turned him over to his side. There was no exit wound. **' The bullets still inside of him. I need to do surgery but I don't have the right equipment.'**

**'Back on the farm, we have sterile equipment. Follow me!'** The man said hurriedly. Rick nodded and lifted up his son in his arms. Shane said, **' I'll go get Lori and tell her what happened. I'll bring them all over. You come with me Daryl, I'll need your tracking skills.'** Daryl nodded. I sprinted as fast as I could after Rick and the man.

Finally, we reached the farm. A large house was located at the center of it. Rick and I walked up the stairs and was greeted by an old-looking man, that was very sure of himself. **'Oh my. Is there an exit wound?'** He asked.

**'No, I checked, its still inside of him. I have applied pressure but I don't have the right equipment to take the bullet out.'** I told him.

**'You're a doctor? I'm a veterinary surgeon.'** He told me.

**'Oh no, I'm not a doctor, I'm also a veterinary surgeon.'** I told him. 

He nodded and directed Rick to wear to put his son.

**'I'm Hershel Greene.'**


	8. Sniper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group starts to settle into the farm. But a scouting mission goes wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter will be very dramatic and it will be a turning point in the Daryl/Alana relationship. I hope you enjoy :) Also for anyone new, this is not the last chapter, there is still a long way to go

Chapter 2 (Season 2)- Sniper

**'I'm Hershel Greene.'** I nodded and introduced everyone quickly. Rick laid down Carl on a bed and looked at him with saddened eyes. **'Rick you should leave this room and spend time with your wife. This will be a difficult couple of hours for you both.'** Hershel said as he gave me sterile gloves and put on a pair of his own. He ordered everyone to leave the room until it was just us two and Carl. 

**'Did you graduate? What was your specialty?'** He began to ask as I picked up the scalpel and sterilized it quickly.

 **'I was studying for my finals when this all happened. I was going to specialize in rescuing animals and helping them from things like diseases and wounds. I had to treat a couple of gunshots on birds.'** I explained carefully steadying my hand. 

I couldn't steady my hand, it was shaking too much. **'It's ok. You've been through a lot. You'll get used to it eventually though.'** He said taking the scalpel from my hand cutting the area around the bullet with perfect precision. **'It's there. The bullet. Use tweezers and carefully pull it all out. He was lucky enough it didn't shatter so its still whole.'** I nodded and picked up the tweezers. Focusing, I managed to pick the bullet out without damaging anything. 'Well done. Now we need to check for any internal damage.' I looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

 **'Everything seems fine. I think we should close him up. I've got this part if you want to check to see if he will be waking up anytime soon.'** I said and Hershel nodded with a smile. I stitched Carl up and wrapped a large bandage around his abdomen. With antiseptic wipes, I cleaned all of the blood off him, to help ease the stress when Lori and Rick came in to see him. **'You did well. I'm impressed. Not many students could have done what you've done. Especially during an apocalypse. Now, you should talk to his parents while I go and make sure you all aren't too dangerous. Then you can meet the rest of us.'** He left the room. 

I left the room and found Lori will tear-stained eyes and Rick filled with worry. Lori hugged me when she saw me. **'Is everything ok? Is he going to be alright?'** She asked. 

**'He'll be fine. I've taken out of the bullet and stitched him up. He just needs some rest.'** I said with a smile. They thanked me and entered the room behind me with Carl. I sighed from exhaustion and took the blood-stained gloves off. I stepped out of the house for some fresh air. 

Finally, when everyone had arrived. We all reunited in the farms living room, as a sort of meeting with the Greene family. It was made up of 5 people. Hershel. Beth who looked young, maybe 18 or 19. She looked timid. Then Maggie who looked just as sure of herself as Hershel was. Their mother, brother, and Otis. The man that had shot Carl.

 **'We need a place to stay.'** Rick said. Lori was still with Carl. Hershel nodded.

 **'I trust you have tents. You will have to sleep outside, I favor my families safety. I apologize, I just don't know who you all are yet.'** Hershel said, a little guarded. **'And it can't be permanent. Oh and don't go tampering around in places that you shouldn't.'**

Rick nodded and replied **,' We have tents and we'll be fine outside. We thank you for your hospitality and you can trust us.'** We had finally found a place to stay. We didn't know for how long though.

3 days later 

Carl had woken up 2 days ago. He seemed fine, which was good. Daryl was out again trying to find Sophia. He had been out every single day. I was beginning to get worried, not only for Sophia and Carol but also for Daryl. He'd been gone longer this time though.

 **'Have you seen Daryl? Has he come back yet?** ' I asked Andrea, as she was on watch today. She shook her head. I sighed nervously. The sun was beating down today. Everyone was outside. Even Carl. Shane had cut his hair alarmingly short and he seemed to be acting differently, which was strange. 

Suddenly, I heard shouts and looked over to the trees, there was a figure limping towards us. **'Andrea keep watch but don't shoot. We don't want to draw attention.'** Rick ordered, he started running towards the figure. I followed seeing as there was nothing else to do. When I was close enough I saw what it was. My heart stopped. It was Daryl. He had an arrow sticking out from his side and blood smeared around his mouth. I ran past Rick and in front of Daryl, not knowing that Andrea had not listened to Rick and proceeded to shoot at 'the walker'. The gunshot filled the air. My hearing left me. I could hear shouts. And Daryl's familiar voice. I looked down. Blood was pooling from my stomach. I looked back up at Daryl. Shock filling my eyes. Tears filled his eyes as he tried to help me but he fell down. I felt my legs buckle as I crippled to the ground. My eyes were starting to drift away, but I saw Shane help Daryl up as Rick lifted me in his arms. Running back to the farmhouse, a repeat of 3 days ago. Andrea was crying uncontrollably. Her apologies were very loud. I heard gasps as people saw. But then it all went black. 

I had been shot.


	9. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Alana recover. A new guest is brought to the farm.

Chapter 3 (Season 2)- Scars

I briefly remembered drifting in and out of consciousness. I remembered being laid out on the bed. Something cutting me and then feeling cold in my insides. I remembered how much it hurt and the tears that streamed down my face. But the next thing I remembered didn't include pain. I felt ok, with only a brief shadow of the pain lingering around.

My eyes refused to open. I must have been too tired. I heard voices outside. Worried voices, then someone came in. I heard them gasp and choke on tears. Then I felt someone stroke my hair comfortingly. I tried to smile. I could only manage a brief twitch of my mouth. **'Alana?'** Daryl's voice filled my ears. Relief flooded me. I had been so worried about him. Now I knew that he had survived. I tried to speak but all that came out an unintelligible murmur. **'Oh. You're probably asleep.'** I heard him say, sadness in his voice. My brain was screaming. My heart ached. I heard him crying quietly in the corner. No one else had seen him cry. Only me. So I knew even if it was just by sound. I wanted to tell him it would be ok. That I was here and feeling better. 

After using all of my remaining energy, I managed to open my eyes. I was in a room I hadn't seen before. It had the same walls as the farm, so I must have been in the same building. I looked over at Daryl. He was sitting in the chair in the corner of the room, he didn't have a shirt on, which meant I could see where the arrow had been. It was covered with a bandage that didn't look too bloody. Hershel must have treated him. I tried to speak. But I had used up most of my energy. I needed to get his attention. I looked at him until he looked up. Tears filled my eyes when I saw how distraught he had been. He had blotched eyes from crying and a small cut on his cheek. He ran over to me, falling to his knees beside me. I looked him trying to talk to him using my eyes, but tears started to fall down my cheeks. Which made him start to do the same. He wiped away the tears on me and whispered, **'Shhh, don't cry. I'm here. The doc said you might go through temporary paralysis or something like that. It'll be over soon.'** He stroked my hair again. I tried to smile. It must have worked because Daryl's eyes widened. I tried to speak but a croak came out. **'Here have some water, you haven't drunk anything in a while.'** He poured me a glass of water and helped me swallow it down. I tried speaking again. **'I love you.'** I managed to say. He laughed and kissed me. Touching my hand. Instincts kicking in, I held his hand. I was gaining control. I tried to lift myself up but I wasn't strong enough. Daryl helped me and when I sat up I saw the damage. There was a large stitch running down the side of my stomach. That would leave a scar. He must have seen the shock on my face so he said, **'Hey, it's ok. We match. Look, I've got a scar too.'** He showed me his side and I saw the same line. This made me smile. I wanted to get up and thank Hershel. But I still couldn't move my legs. Daryl sat next to me on the bed. I rested my head on his shoulder and slowly drifted back into a peaceful sleep. 

When I woke up again, Daryl was still sitting by my side, he was looking out the window at the bright sun and the clear blue sky. **'Hey.'** I whispered. He looked down at me. **'Hey, you're back with me. Try moving your legs. You twitched them in your sleep.'** He half laughed. I scowled jokingly and tried to move my legs. To my amazement, it actually worked. **'Wow, it feels so good to move again. Please can you help me up?'** I asked him. He nodded smiling slightly and lifted me up. ' **Do you want to go anywhere specific?'** He asked.

 **'I want to go to Andrea. Tell her that I'm ok. Is she alright?'** I asked. 

**'No. She has been beating herself up pretty bad. Can you believe it? She thought I was a walker!'** He laughed.

 **'Well you ghostly pale and limping, so...'** I laughed. He smiled and picked me up. Carrying me down the stairs of the farmhouse I saw Rick and Lori talking in the kitchen. They didn't see me. When we stepped outside, the brightness of the sun felt amazing on my face. **'Oh my god, you're alright? I'm so sorry, Alana. I didn't mean to!'** Andrea said pleadingly from beside me. I smiled back and said, **' It's ok Andrea, its not your fault. You were just trying to protect us. I forgive you!** ' I said comfortingly. She nodded tearfully and walked off. **'Are your arms getting tired?'** I asked Daryl, who was still holding me in his arms. 

**'Never.'** He grunted straining his arms. I laughed and he put me down on a nearby deck chair, with a smile. **'I'm going to go and get you something to eat.'** He said. I looked out over the vast field.

1 week later

I no longer needed any help and I could walk properly without a limp. The stitches were gone. Leaving a large scar from the surgery. People went out every day looking for Sophia. There still no sign of her though. 

I was sitting on the deck of the farmhouse, reading the veterinary textbook for revision when suddenly the roar of the car engine came into my hearing. I got up seeing Rick and Shane coming back from their recent supply run. They both got out, they looked like they had been in a fight. They had left with Otis because they were looking in areas the Otis knew well. But all I could see was Otis's absence. But the strangest thing was, Shane brought out a young-looking boy with a gag on from out of the back of the car. Everyone started to approach. **'What's happening? Who is that?** ' Dale asked. Rick and Shane both had a grimace. 

**'This is Randall. He comes from a nearby group. They're not very friendly. We lost Otis to the walkers too.'** Shane explained. Someone was going to have to break the news to Hershel and his family. The Randall guy looked badly hurt and Shane and Rick weren't in good shape either.

 **'I should help with all of those cuts and bruises. You two need to sit down so I can look at the damage.'** I told Shane and Rick. 

**'I'll be fine.'** Shane said walking off. I frowned and looked at Rick.

 **'It's not you. Shane's not doing good. It's nobody's fault but his.'** Rick said walking off, making sure that Randall's hands were still bundled in rope.

 **'We've got trouble.'** Rick called back. **'Get everyone prepared to leave in case things go south.'**


	10. Democracy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group comes to a standstill when conflicting beliefs prevent them from safety.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is either going to be very long or very short so I apologize in advance. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 4(Season 2)- Democracy

Everyone made their way to the farmhouse while Rick was telling the Greene family of Otis's fate. I heard some sobs I stepped through the doorway and into the old wooden house. 'You put him in danger! And now you are keeping a dangerous man on our property! You need to leave as soon as you can.' Hershel's voice rang through the corridor. Everyone gathered in the large living room for a meeting of what to do with Randall.

 **'Randall came from a group. He told us that the group was not very kind to women and children, and killed or the men. He's dangerous. We can't let him stay.'** Shane explained. There were frightened murmurs around the house. 

**'Shane wants to kill him and the rest of his group. I think we should let him go.'** Rick said.

 **'If we let him go, then he will come back with his group and do all of those things to our people.'** Daryl spoke up. 

**'He's just a kid. Plus they don't know we're here. For all they know, Randall was eaten! We don't have to kill him. We're not savages!'** Dale stressed. 

Dale saw that they weren't getting any closer to a conclusion so he said, **'Rick, at least give me 2 hours to change people's minds.'** He suggested. Rick nodded and everyone filed out of the house. 

I was walking over to Rick to check his cuts when I was pulled aside. **'Alana. I need to talk to you.'** It was Lori. She looked nervous. 

**'What's wrong?'** I asked. She looked around and saw something.

 **'Over there by Daryl's motorcycle. We have to talk in private.'** Lori said, I nodded suspiciously and we walked over to his motorcycle.

We sat down, leaning on the tree. **'What's the issue?'** I asked.

 **'I think I'm pregnant.'** She said. My eyes widened. **'You have to keep this a secret, I want to be the first one to tell Rick. He.. he might not be the father.'** She explained. 

**'What? Oh ok. Congratulations?'** I asked, not sure if she wanted to celebrate this news or not. I didn't want to ask who she thought the father was because I felt like I already knew. 

**'Yes, I have decided that even if it is not Rick's baby, I will still treat them as our baby.'** She replied. I smiled.

 **'Then congratulations! Did you use a pregnancy test?'** I asked.

She nodded. **'Ok I saw that Hershel had ultrasound equipment for when his cows get pregnant, so I might have to use that. I hope that's ok.** ' I added. She laughed and said it was ok. 

After I had finished giving Lori a secret ultrasound and telling her she was pregnant, I left the room so that she could tell Rick and Carl. I was on my way to Daryl when Dale tapped me on the shoulder.

 **'Hey Alana, I need to talk to you about Randall. What do you think?'** He asked me, looking desperate for any sense of democracy in anyone.

 **'I feel that if we take him in, he might have committed the same crimes as his group and we wouldn't know, so therefore we might be wasting our medical resources on someone that could kill us all in our sleep. But then again, my medical instincts kick in, and he's only a kid, he doesn't know about life yet, he hasn't experienced things.'** I thought out loud. 

**'He deserves a chance to live! Yes! That is what I have been trying to tell other people. So if you think this then can you try and get Daryl onboard? He said he didn't care as long you were safe.'** Dale asked.

I sighed and said, **'I'm sorry Dale, I can't try and change Daryl's vote, its what he believes in, and if I do that I'd be taking advantage of our relationship. However, you can count on me. I'm with you.'** I said this out of sympathy. I felt bad for Dale as no one listening and he did have a couple of fair points.

 **'Thank you, Alana. I knew I could count on you. You are the last person that I have to talk too. Now its time to go back in there.'** I followed everyone in, nervous about what was about to happen. Once everyone had settled in, Rick began **,'Ok. Its time to decide what we do with Randall. How many people support Shane?'** Everyone apart from Dale and I put their hand up.

Dale sighed. I looked at him, sadness in my eyes. **'Look, can I at least treat him. He was in bad shape. Then we aren't savages and we can live safely.'** I suggested. Everyone nodded. 

**'Thank you, Alana. It means a lot knowing that there is someone that is still human.'** He said getting up and walking out the room. 

It was dark. Everyone had just eaten and were starting to wind down. Hershel had kindly allowed us into the house to sleep, knowing that Lori was pregnant and that the wind was starting to pick up outside. I was sleeping in between blankets with m head resting on Daryl's chest. Everyone was sleeping in the same room. It should have felt strange but it felt warm and cozy. Like they were my family. Suddenly a scream woke everyone up. Daryl moved causing me to move as well. **'Everyone with guns, follow me.'** Rick whispered. 

**'That sounded like Dale!'** Glenn said, fear in his voice. This caused everyone to rush out of the house, towards the scream. I saw Dale lying on the ground, shock on his face, there was a walker eating from his stomach. Lori gasped and took Carl back inside. Rick shot the walker. 

Andrea knelt by Dale's side. **'Oh my god, Dale? Talk to me, are you alright?'** His insides were splayed out.

People started to look at Hershel and I. I shook my head and Hershel confirmed my suspicions with a shake of his head too. **'I'm so sorry.'** I said. **,'There's nothing we can do. We don't have the right equipment.'** I said, holding back the tears as I watched Glenn and Andrea kneel over Dale's body. 

**'We need to shoot him before he turns.'** Daryl whispered to Rick. Rick nodded and sighed, aiming his gun at Dale's head. ' **I'm so sorry Dale.'**

The gunshot filled the air.


	11. The Barn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group recovers from the recent loss. The barn doors get opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one will be mainly dialogue, so I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 5 (Season 2)- The Barn

After Dale's burial, everyone headed back. Some people went inside, others stayed outside to grieve. I noticed Glenn sitting by Dale's van. He was crying.

I walked over to him. **'Glenn, I'm so sorry. Dale was a great guy. Especially to you. I can't imagine how hard it is for you right now.'** I said with sadness.

He looked up wiping away the tears. **'Thanks, I appreciate it.'** He said. I suddenly remembered that Glenn and I hadn't spoken much in the past month. **'I feel guilty. I didn't stand with him at the end as you did. We didn't end on good terms.'** He sighed with a shaky breath. I looked at him with a frown.

 **'Just one little disagreement at the end shouldn't define your entire relationship with him. He saw you as a son figure. And fathers and sons have tonnes of fights!'** I laughed slightly. He smiled at me.

 **'Thanks, Alana. It means a lot. I miss him, he was helping me through my problems.'** Glenn grimaced. 

**'What problems? Maybe I can help with them?'** I asked helpfully. Glenn nodded.

 **'Well, you know Maggie, right? Well, her and I have started having... you know. And now she's not talking to me and she's acting all angry. You're a girl. Do you know what's wrong?'** He asked.

 **'Well, um ok. Have you tried talking to her about her feelings?'** I asked, unsure of where to start. He shook his head. **'Ok, well that would be a good place to start. She has a lot going on, maybe its Hershel. You know how protective fathers can be. You should talk to Hershel too, make sure he's comfortable with your relationship. Is it just sex? Or do you feel something for her other than lust?'** I asked.

 **'I-I feel something else for her. Not just lust. I like her. A lot. I should go and tell her. Thanks, Alana, you're a great friend.' I smiled at me gratefully and walked over to the farmhouse. 'I'll look after him for you Dale.'** I said to myself, getting up and heading over to Daryl. He was leaning on his motorcycle and watching the sun go down. I came up from behind him and covered his eyes. **'Guess who?'** I laughed. He jumped, startled. When he noticed it was me he smiled. He hugged me from behind, resting his head on my shoulder, as we watched the sunset.

 **'Were you close with Dale?'** I asked curiously. I had never seen them interact, come to think of it. 

**'No, he seemed like he never wanted to talk to me.'** Daryl said quietly.

 **'Or maybe you never wanted to talk to him. You don't exactly give off vibes of talkative.'** I laughed. I felt him smile. Then I felt his breath on my neck. It was comforting, knowing he was there. What he did next shocked me. He started to kiss my neck. It was so unexpected I gasped. I turned around so I was facing him. We hadn't had a lot of time together, since the CDC room. I pressed my lips against his. He kissed me back. After 2 minutes we broke apart. **'Do you have a place where we can go?'** I asked smiling. He nodded with a smug smile and led me to a small shack in the forest that had a blanket and pillows on the floor.

15 minutes later, we were lying on the ground wrapped in blankets, panting heavily. I turned over onto my side so that I was looking at Daryl. I smiled. **'What would I have done if I hadn't have found you?** ' I asked curiously. 

**'You probably wouldn't have survived.'** He laughed jokingly.

Once we were dressed and back on the farm, the sun was just about finishing to go down. It was still a relatively bright sky though. I noticed a commotion coming from around the barn. Someone was opening the barn door. Daryl and I ran over. Everyone was surrounding the door. Shane pulled the door open. I heard walkers groan from the inside. About 10 came, limping out from the barn. Rick and Shane shot them. I heard screams from behind me. I looked and saw that the Greene family were distraught. A daunting moment of realization hit me, those were walkers were their passed family. Guilt washing over me, I looked back at the barn in shock. Just as I thought there was nothing left in the barn, a small child came limping out of the barn, weakly. I shriek from Carol made me realize who it was. Sophia. I gasped, running over to Carol to stop her from going over, she could have been bitten. She collapsed in tears, in my arms. **'I'm so sorry, Carol. Shhh.** ' I whispered. I stroked her hair as comfortingly as I could. I looked up at Daryl. He was close to tears too. Rick aimed his gun. I could see regret overflowing in his eyes. He pulled the trigger. Earning another shriek from Carol.

Sophia and Dale were gone.


	12. Evil within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group starts to proceed with their plan regarding Randall. However, some people don't agree with how he is being dealt with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, so I have just gone back and made all of the speech in bold so that it is easier to see, I hope this helps. :) This chapter will be more of an action chapter rather than dialogue. I hope you enjoy :)  
> ps: this is the penultimate episode of season 2 so stay tuned!

Chapter 6 (Season 2)- Evil within

The entire group was down. I hadn't seen anybody smile for 2 days. Beth had collapsed from seeing her mother shot in the head as a walker, so she was now resting upstairs in the farmhouse. Carol was sitting silently on the front porch, mourning for the loss of her only child. Randall was being kept in a shack on a farm. I had treated his cuts and bruises in honor of Dale.

I made my way back to the farmhouse, to start my watch on Beth. She was not in good shape. I was greeted by a worried-looking Maggie and a confused-looking Lori. **'Alana! I need you. Beth has locked herself in the bathroom and I heard glass shatter!'** I nodded determined to not let anyone else die on this farm. I ran up the stairs and into Beth's room. The door to the bathroom was locked. **'Who gave her the key?'** Lori asked Maggie from behind me. 

**'Andrea was on watch, so I assume it was her.'** Maggie said nervously. Lori rolled her eyes and stormed out of the room to go look for Andrea. 

**'I need you to get her to open the door, talk to her. She needs medical help.'** I said urgently. Maggie nodded and I closed the door to the bedroom as it was going to be a private conversation. When I heard the door open, I ran back into the room. Beth was standing there crying. The bathroom mirror was smashed and her wrists were bleeding. Maggie stood there shocked as I helped Beth back over to the bed and started to clean her wrists. The cuts were thankfully not deep enough to need stitches. But they would leave scars. **'Maggie, go get Hershel.'** I told her. Beth was going to need her father right now. I held cotton pads down on her cuts until Hershel came in and he took over. **'Thank you. You have been a great help.'** He whispered to me as he sat down next to his daughter. I closed the door behind me, giving them some privacy. 

I jumped when I turned around, Maggie was standing right behind me. **'Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you. I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for my family. You helped Beth and you talked Glenn into talking to me. I can't thank you enough.'** She smiled appreciatively. 

**'It's ok. I do what I can.'** I said smiling. I made my way downstairs to see Lori and Andrea arguing loudly. I sighed and walked past them and out into the bright morning air. Daryl was out interrogating Randall, so I couldn't talk to him. I looked around. I saw Glenn sitting on the front of the truck reading a book. I walked over and sat next to him.

**'So, I heard you and Maggie are ok now?'** I tried to make conversation.

**'Yeah, we are. Thanks to you. Hershel even gave me a pocket watch!'** He exclaimed joyfully.

**'Am I supposed to know what that means?'** I asked confused.

**'It means he likes me, and he is ok with Maggie and me.'** Glenn said happily. I high fived him and got up, I was walking over to Carol to see how she was doing when, in the corner of my eye, I saw Daryl walking back from the shack and Shane going in behind him. Daryl looked frustrated. I ran over to him.

**'Is everything ok? You don't look happy.'** I asked him worried.

He shook his head. **'The kids** **n** **ot telling me anything. Shane is going to try now.'** Daryl gestured to the shack that Shane had just entered. Daryl looked behind me and nodded at Carol. 'Is she doing ok?' He asked. I shook my head.

**'You should go talk to her. You took an arrow looking for Sophia, you two deserve to spend time with each other. I'll be over in a second with some water. She hasn't drunk anything all day.'** I suggested. Daryl nodded and made his way over to Carol. I turned my back on the shack and headed into the farmhouse to get a glass of water for Carol. Lori and Andrea were still arguing so I decided to break it up.

**'Look, for whatever reason Andrea decided to give Beth the key to the bathroom, I'm sure she knows not to do it again. Now, Lori, you should rest. You're eating for two, remember?'** They both sighed and departed in separate directions. Once I had the water I stepped back outside and sat beside Carol and Daryl. I handed the glass to Carol. **'Here, you should drink something.'** She gave me a little nod and sipped the drink slowly. I kissed Daryl on the cheek and got up to go and see what Rick was doing. He was down by the shack. **'Is everything ok, Rick?'** I asked him. He had his ear to the door. He jumped back when he saw me.

**'Oh yeah um, I was just making sure that Shane didn't kill Randall. He really hates that kid for some reason. Thanks for taking care of Lori. I appreciate it.** ' He thanked me.

**'No problem. We should keep an eye out for prenatal vitamins. She definitely needs some of those. She's about 3 weeks in and so in about a month or two you might get to feel a kick.'** I smiled. This made Rick smile. 

Later, at around midday, there was a shout from the shack. I ran over with everyone else and Rick was staring at the empty room. **'Shane and Randall are gone. Shane's going to kill him.'** Rick warned. **'Daryl and Glenn, you two go into the forest and follow his trail. I look in a different part of the forest. Be careful.'** They nodded and Daryl and Glenn ran over to the left of the forest and Rick went into the right. 

**'We should look for them on the farm, someone tell Hershel what's going on.'** I suggested. People nodded and dispersed. 

It was dark by the time anything happened. There was a gunshot from the forest. Everyone reunited at the front of the shack. 'What was that?' Andrea asked. 

**'A gunshot. Someone is either dead or in danger. Keep your eyes on the forest.'** I warned. I watched the border of the forest intensely until finally there was movement. Daryl and Glenn came running out, no sign of Rick or Shane. **'What was that? Are you both ok?'** I asked them.

**'Randall is dead, Shane killed him. We heard the gunshot but it wasn't close to us.'** Glenn explained as Daryl got his crossbow lined on the forest.

**'Oh my god.'** Lori said from behind me. I looked at her confused. **'Carl is gone.'** She said nervously. I looked around, but I was interrupted by a rustle from the trees. Rick and Carl appeared. Sprinting as fast as their legs could carry them. 

**'Shane is dead. He- he, I shot him. He tried to kill me. You have to believe me. There is a massive hoard approaching the farm, we have to evacuate!'** Rick spluttered breathlessly. 

**'No, we have to stay and defend this farm.'** Hershel insisted. Everyone started to worry and dispersed to get their things quickly. **'Daryl, wait for me at your motorcycle, I have to go and get my bag!'** I shouted back to him as I was already running.

We were too late. I heard the wooden fences crack and break. They were here. 


	13. Fires Everywhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The farm is overrun by walkers. Who will survive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the finale of season 2! It will be action-packed and quite gruesome so beware! I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 7(Season 2)- Fires Everywhere

I needed to get my bag. No matter what, that bag had my most precious and sentimental items in it. It was in the farmhouse. There was a smash, I looked over to the barn and saw a bright roaring fire spreading over from the barn. The walkers were closing in. I ran over and into the farmhouse, I saw my bag on the floor close to the door. I slung it over to my shoulder and ran out of the house. I heard screams and looked over. I couldn't see anyone. The fire was too bright and it was making my eyes watery. 

I ran as fast as I could until I recognized the screaming. It was from Carl. I looked around until I finally saw him. He was being surrounded by walkers. I got my gun from my bag and sprinted over, shooting every single walker in the head. I picked Carl up in my arms and looked around for a car or Daryl. I couldn't see anyone. Only walkers. So many walkers. Carl had passed out from fear in my arms. The farmhouse collapsed with a deafening crash behind me. There was nowhere to go. I ran past as many walkers as I could. I shot some if they were in the way. Finally, I ran out of bullets. I sighed nervously and ran as fast as I could into the forest. Walkers' hands grabbed at my ankles. I stomped on them until I was free. 

I finally made it to the comfort of the dark and looming trees. I tried to clear my thoughts and think of where everyone would meet up. If anyone was still alive. The road. Where we had lost Sophia. I ran north.

I kept running until pain ricocheted through my body. I shrieked. I looked down. My ankle was trapped in a bear trap. **'Shit! Shit.'** I screamed. I put the gun back in my bag and lowered Carl onto the ground. He was still passed out. I tried to pull my foot out of the iron clamp but it was too strong. The pain made tears fall down my cheeks. I let out another scream. Nothing was working. I heard walkers from behind me, it was too dark to see. I pulled and pulled until finally, the trap came free. I had completely shredded my ankle though. My hands were covered with blood. I picked up Carl and limped away from the walkers, occasionally falling down. Just as I felt I was about to faint. I reached the metal of the roadside. The sun was coming up so I could see who was there. Everyone was there, apart from Andrea. 

**'Oh my god.'** Rick exclaimed. He looked at me. I must not have looked very healthy. Everyone turned to me. Just as I fell down, Rick lifted Carl from my tired arms. Daryl lifted me over the bar bordering the road and held me up in my arms. 

**'You're so pale. What happened?'** He asked worriedly. 

**'Look at her foot.'** Hershel said from the left of me. Daryl glanced down nervously and his eyes widened. 'Put her in the truck, I can help her.' Hershel replied to Daryls worried face. Daryl lifted me up so that I was resting in his arms. Blood dripped onto the floor from my foot, leaving a trail as Daryl rushed over to the truck. He laid me down where T-dog had sat when he had cut his arm on the car door. That seemed like an eternity ago. 

Rick, Daryl, and Maggie were all in the truck too, trying to help. **'I'm going to need space.'** Hershel told them. My eyes started to drift away but I tried to focus. They all left the truck so that it was just Hershel and me. 'You might want to pass out right about now, there is a high chance this will hurt more than the actual trap.' He was right, the instant that he took my shoe off, I regretted not passing out. A painful shriek left my mouth. Hershel looked at me and tore off a piece of the curtain in the truck. 'Bite down on this.' He told me. I clenched my teeth around the piece of the fabric as he assessed the damage. Something on my foot made his face grave. **'I'm sorry, Alana. I can't save this foot, the nerves are exposed and I don't have the right tools. I'm going to have to take it off.'** I replied with a very audible expletive. **'Exactly.'** He mumbled, looking at the foot intensely. He stepped outside temporarily and I heard him say **,' Rick, I need your axe. Daryl, you might want to comfort her.'** He returned with the axe and was closely followed by Daryl. I was too tired to flinch at the sight of the axe.

Daryl walked over and kneeled next to me, stroking my forehead and hair. He took hold of my hand. **'You're going to be o-'** He was cut off when Hershel took his first swing. I automatically clenched my hand around Daryl's. I screamed, the fabric falling out of my mouth. Daryl continued to stroke my hair as sweat began to build on my face. Him being there definitely helped. Hershel swang the axe, this next shot of pain caused my eyes to roll back and I passed out.

I woke up outside. I was no longer on the road though. Trees surround me. I heard the crackle of a campfire and saw everyone sitting around it, looking exhausted. I tried to stand up but I suddenly became aware of the gaping absence of my foot. It felt so strange. I fell off the chair that I was sitting in. Daryl rushed over to help me back up. Tears filled my eyes from embarrassment. **'Shhh, it's ok. I'm here.'** Daryl said in my ear. Carl was awake and sitting with his parents. He looked ok now. I no longer felt pain in my foot, which was good. 'Thank you, Hershel. You saved my life.' I said to Hershel, who was across from me. 

**'Where are we going to go?'** Carol suddenly spoke up. Everyone looked around. No one knew.

**'Everyone, there is something I have to tell you. Something Edwin Jenner from the CDC told me.'** Rick stood up.

**'We're all infected. No matter what way you die, you turn into a walker.'** Silence filled the camp.

Suddenly, Lori spoke up,' **How could you not tell us something like that?'**

**'It wasn't useful at the time!'** He replied. 

We were all silent, staring into the fire. Finally, a noise from the forest caught everyone's attention. **'What was that?'** Maggie asked, starting to get up. 

**'It could be a walker.'** Rick said, looking out into the forest. 

**'We need to move! We aren't safe here.'** Carol stressed. People started to get up.

**'No one goes anywhere.'** The sudden tone in Ricks's voice made everyone freeze. Something snapped inside him.

Carol spoke timidly, **' We need to do something, Rick.'**

**'I am doing something. I have been done something ever since the beginning, I killed my best friend for you people for god's sakes!'** The way Rick was speaking and what he was saying made Carl start to cry. **'Shane came after me! My hands are clean. I am keeping you people alive! But if you don't want my help, go! I have found a place where we can be safe but if you want to go and get yourself killed then go.'** He gestured out into the forest. Nobody moved. **'No takers? Alright then, let me get something clear if you are staying.'** He continued.

**'This is not a democracy anymore.'** He said finally. 


	14. Prison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group follows Rick to their possible new home, what trouble will they find there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is start of season 3, this will have the most action out of all the seasons so far, but I can promise their will be Alana/Daryl moments. Thank you for reading! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 3)- Prison

It had been months since the farm. Rick had found a safe place for us to go but it was miles away. I was starting to get worried for Lori because no matter how many times she told me she was fine, I knew that all of this traveling was not good for her. She was getting close to the 9-month marker. I didn't know how long she would have left with that baby. I told Rick that we needed to take a break for the baby and he agreed, finally. 

We found a small cottage in the middle of nowhere. It was abandoned apart from a couple of walkers. The only food we had left was the food that we found lying about. I insisted on giving my food to Lori but she never took it. I was beginning to get worried about the baby's wellbeing. There had been no sign of Andrea. If she had survived she would have found us. We mourned and mourned until finally, we had to move on. 

I helped Lori sit down onto a nearby sofa and helped her get comfortable. Daryl gave her and I tin of cold soup to share. Subtly, I only took very, very small sips so that she could have all of it. **'How far until we reach it, Rick?'** Maggie asked, eyeing him nervously. She and Glenn were very close now. He looked up. His eyes were tired. He hadn't slept in days by the looks of it. None of us had.

 **'We will get there later today. Not far now.'** He ruffled Carls's hair. He had taught Carl how to shoot a gun and even given a gun to the 11-year-old. It made us all nervous, apart from Rick. Carl wore his father's sheriff hat with pride. 

I had been walking with the aid of leaning on Daryl, but it was making us both tired. I didn't know how long I could carry on like that until I found crutches at one of the houses we stopped at. Finally, we reached a clearing. There were metal fences that looked like they went on for miles. Behind the fence were large stone walls and barred windows. It was a prison. The grounds behind the fences were scattered with walkers. If we could remove all of the walkers, it seemed like we could be safe there forever. **'How are we going to get past the walkers?'** Carol asked. 

It appeared that, while everyone else had been admiring the prison, Rick had been conjuring up a plan. He got out the wire cutters, that he found back in the barn, and cut open a small circle entrance so that we could get into the grounds. We crawled through and entered another cut-off area circled by fences. There was a gate in front of us directly leading into the main grounds. **'Daryl, you go to that tower and start shooting the walkers. Carol, you've become a good shot with the sniper, you go to the other tower and do the same. Glenn and Alana draw the walker's attention so that I can get to the gate. Hershel, make sure the rest of you are ready to run for it into the prison.'** Everyone nodded and ran over to where they were supposed to be. 

I limped over to the fence with Glenn. **'Ready?** ' I shouted to Rick. **'Ready.'** He replied. As he opened the gate, Glenn and I started rattling the fence and shouting to get the walker's attention. When they began to get to close I stabbed some, while Glenn continued distracting them. **'We make a good team.'** He said breathlessly. I laughed. I heard Daryl shooting his arrows at the walkers and Carol shooting them. **'We all make a good team.'** I replied with a smile. 

**'Come on everybody. Run!'** Rick had made it to the gate that enters into the prison. Glenn and Maggie and T-dog shot the walkers while Hershel helped Lori and me to the gate. Carl, Carol, and Daryl followed behind. Just as the walkers reached the gate, Rick shut it using the lock on the side. Everyone tried to catch their breath. There weren't any walkers behind the gate, so we were safe for now. 

Once everyone had caught their breath, we started to look up at the enormous building towering over of us. **'There's a door over there.'** Rick walked over to some steps that led up to a door. We followed him. He got his gun out and entered the prison. It was dark, except for the little rays of light shining from the barred windows. There were no walkers here. I saw a marking on the wall that said 'Block C'. There were many open cells that looked like their beds were comfy enough. There 3 benches in the middle of the room and a door at the back of the room. **'That must lead to the rest of the prison, lets stay in here until we are ready to go and look for food.'**

I found a room on the bottom floor of the block that had bunk beds in. I leaned my crutches up against the wall and sat down on the bed. Resting my arms from carrying most of my weight all day. I heard someone enter the room and I looked up. It was Glenn, holding something behind his back.

 **'I found this at the house with the crutches in and I was going to tell you but you seemed like you were doing fine without it. Its a prosthetic foot. I know it doesn't look like a foot but it should do the job.'** He sat next to me and put it in my lap. It was metal and looked like a metal foot. It didn't have any fake toes or anything, it looked exactly like Glenn had described it. It looked like it belonged to a robot. I smiled up at Glenn appreciatively. 

'Thank you so much, Glenn.' I looked for hooks so that I could wear it. 

**'The only bad thing about it is, you have to get it surgically implanted for it not to fall off. Look there are small hooks that you attach to the bone. There are small and they won't damage the bone at all. Its in this manual that came with it.'** Glenn looked at me nervously. **'I already asked Hershel if he could do it and he said yes. He's even done it before!'** He tried to reassure me. 

**'Thank you, Glenn. I will let Hershel have a rest first. But thank you, you may have just saved my life.'** I replied beaming. 

About 4 hours later, Hershel had completed the operation. Luckily, we had found some anesthesia laying around in an abandoned pharmacy, along with extra surgical equipment. I woke up in my bed and looked down. The trousers covered the surgical scars but showed the foot. 'It looks cool.' Daryl sat next to me on the bed. I frowned up at him. 

**'Are you sure it doesn't make me look like a robot?'** I asked.

He smiled. **'No it doesn't, but if it did, then you look like a badass robot.'** He laughed. I laughed with him. I tried to stand up without using the crutches. At first, I fell to the ground, but with practice, I became more and more confident in walking with it. I could even run. 

Things were finally working out for us. 


	15. What would I do without you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group tries to clear out more of the prison, looking for food. New additions are added to the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has a major Alana/Daryl moment. Also, this chapter introduces some major characters! I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 2 (Season 3) - What would I do without you?

Everyone was starting to get hungry. Again. We had no food left so the only way we could get more was to clear out more of the prison. The door at the end of block C had a map next to it, so everyone gathered around it so Rick could make plan. **'I can hear walkers down that corridor so I need everyone with guns to clear out that corridor. Once that's done, we can progress further. The kitchen is the 2nd room on the left. There will probably be lots of walkers so you have to make sure you have another weapon apart from the gun in case you run out of ammo. Everyone else, stay here and keep an ear out in case anything goes wrong. We will be as fast as we can.'** Rick finished. I got my gun from my cell and got my knife as well. I had about 8 bullets left in my pistol so I had to make them count.

Rick silently opened the door and carefully stepped out into the corridor. Daryl drew an arrow onto his crossbow so that he was prepared. The corridor was empty but there was a corner. It was too dark to see the markings on the wall but we still crept towards the corner of the corridor. When we turned the corner, there were about 6 walkers stumbling around in the rest of the corridor. **'Wow, this place has been cleared out.'** Glenn whispered as Rick and Daryl took out the walkers. **'That could mean people are here.'** Rick warned. We walked over to the kitchen, which didn't have any walkers in. It was an empty room apart from some benches. I sighed, I had got my hopes up, thinking we had actually found something good. **'Look, there's another door.'** Carol pointed to the other side of the room. We walked over and Daryl kicked the door open. I gasp left my mouth. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was filled with over a hundred tins of canned food and even had extra ammo. **'Wow!'** Glenn laughed. Picking up as many cans as he could carry. Suddenly there was the sound of a gun being aimed behind me. At my head. Everyone looked at something behind me. I slowly turned around. 5 men in prisoner clothes were standing at the door. Only one had a small hand pistol and was aiming it at my head. **'What is this?'** Rick asked, slowly approaching them. 

**'We are prisoners here. Or were. We were locked in when everything went to shit. We haven't been outside since. You have to answer some of our questions. Maybe then we'll think about giving you some of our food.** ' The man with the gun had tattoos on his face. He seemed dangerous. Rick continued to approach with his arms up. **'We will answer all of your questions. Just lower the gun.'** He said calmly. The prisoners looked at him nervously then finally lowered the gun. Rick moved faster than I had ever seen him move before. He knocked the gun out of the man's hand and knocked him against the wall. Stabbing him in the chest. Daryl shot arrows at 2 of the shocked men. There was only one left. He was the smallest out of all of them. He got to the floor and crawled away from Rick out of fear. The wall stopped him from going further. **'Please don't kill me. You can have all the food just please don't kill me.'** Daryl looked at Rick. Rick nodded and lowered his axe. The prisoner smiled and started to get up. **'My name's Axel. It's a pleasure to meet you.'** He seemed pleasant enough. Rick ignored him and turned to us. I stood there, shocked at the scene I had just watched. **'Pick up as many cans and ammo as you can and take them back to Block C. You might have to make more than one trip so be careful. We need everything that's in there.'** I nodded and picked up as many things as I could. I stepped over the prisoner's bodies and made my way to our block. I saw some stairs next to Block C. I looked up at the top and saw that they led up to the roof. I kept that in mind for later. 

Finally, we had transferred all of the contents of the room into the block. Rick had told us that we still had to ration, and that food could still run out. 

It was night time by the time everyone was quiet and starting to settle into their new home. I was sitting on the bed when Daryl came in, putting the crossbow down against the wall. I stood up when he came in. **'I have a place to show you.'** I told him smiling. He looked at me confused and I lifted his hand in mine. I led him out of the block and up the stairs. It was beautiful. There were no walkers up there. Only the sounds of animals in the forest. The stars shone like diamonds in the sky. I looked back at Daryl. He was gazing up at the stars in awe. I had already brought up pillows so that we could lie down comfortably. Once we were lying under the stars, I turned and looked at him. The stars shone magnificently in his eyes. He looked at me smiling more than I had ever seen him smile before. **'I have an idea, but you can't laugh.'** He said looking nervous. I nodded encouragingly. **'I think that we should get married. You know, privately. And I don't want to wear a ring or anything but you can. I know it seems sudden but we have known each for our whole lives and I know I will love you right up until the end of my life.'** Tears welled up in my eyes. 

**'Daryl, that proposal was literally worded exactly like I could have guessed. So you're saying we should get married but not tell anyone about it unless it comes up in conversation?'** I asked curiously. I already knew my answer but I just wanted to play with him a little bit. A frown broke on his face which made me feel bad so I said, **' I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Of course, we can! I love you so much.'** I said kissing him. I felt him smile. 

When we broke apart, I asked him, **'So does that mean my last name is Dixon now? And what can I use as a symbol of this marriage?'**

He replied as if he had thought about this a lot,' **You are now a Dixon and you can use this as the symbol.'** He handed me a ring that looked beautiful. It was the normal size of any normal wedding ring but it was made from wood and it had intricate carvings on it. The wood was smoothly polished. I gasped. **'How did you do that?'** I asked smiling from cheek to cheek. He smiled, **'I have my ways.'** He said putting the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly. 

We stayed up there together under the stars for hours, until finally, the sun started to come up. We quietly made our way back to our cell before people started to wake up. We climbed into bed and he whispered into my ear **,'Morning Alana Dixon.'** I laughed and playfully elbowed him, light enough so that it didn't hurt him. 

Once everyone had finished having breakfast, Rick told us what the agenda for the day was. 'We have to clear more of this prison out. Make sure it's safe to stay in. There may even be showers.' This caught everyone's attention. **'Daryl and I will clear out Block B. Carol and T-dog, you will clear out the prison gardens and check for any vegetables. Glenn and Maggie, you both clear out Cellblock D and Carl and Alana, you clear out Cellblock A.'** Everyone nodded and looked at the map before dispersing. I got my knife ready as Carl and I made our way down to Cellblock A. He was carrying a small pistol. 

**'Thank you for helping me on the farm.'** He said, suddenly. I looked down at him with a smile. 

**'It's ok, Carl. You don't have to thank me.'** He smiled at me. We made it to the door. I opened it and crept in. I was met by blinding light. When my eyes adjusted, I saw there was a fairly large hole in the wall, that led out to the gardens. There were no walkers but, to my surprise, there were people that looked out of breath staring up at us with fear. There was a woman with dark hair and a muscular man that looked almost the same to her. There was a man crying over a woman's body. I put my knife away and gestured for Carl to do the same. I approached them slowly. **'It's ok. We are friendly. We are here with our group. I'm medically trained, I can help. My name is Alana and this is Carl.** ' I introduced us. 

The man that was crying over the woman's body got up and pinned me against the wall suddenly. His arm was against my neck. I couldn't breathe. Carl aimed his gun at the man. I gestured to him that it was ok. **'You can't save her now.'** The man said his voice breaking. The larger man pushed him off and said **,' What do you think you're doing? These people could help us, Ben!'** I gulped in as much air as I could back into my lungs. **'I'm so sorry about him. I'm Sasha and that's Tyreese, my brother. You've already met Ben. We just lost someone in our group for the second time.** ' The woman, Sasha, explained. I was about to tell her I was sorry when I heard a scream come from the gardens. I ran out alongside Carl. 

Carol was running from the empty gardens, which was strange. But what was stranger was that it was T-dog's voice that I had heard. I ran over to Carol and watched in horror as I saw walkers surround T-dog's body **. 'He saved me, Alana. There was nothing I could do.'** Carol explained, nervously. Suddenly, all of the walkers fell down. I looked behind me, seeing Sasha and Tyreese holding up their guns at the now-dead walkers. **'Thank you.** ' I gasped. 

**'No problem.'** Tyreese replied. I ran over to T-dog. He was ghostly white. He had chunks bitten out of him. I put my ear to his chest to listen for a heartbeat. I heard nothing. Tears beginning to form in my eyes, I aimed my gun at his forehead. The gunshot cracked through the air.

Another member of our team was gone. 


	16. Losses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group grows and a new threat is discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Michonne's first episode! Wooo! XD I hope you enjoy it! :)  
> ps: beware, I cried writing this...

Chapter 3 (Season 3) - Losses

We all walked back to Block C. We were the last ones to return. I was bombarded with questions. 

**'Who are they?'**

**'What happened to your neck?'**

**'Where's T-dog?'**

**'Is Cellblock A clear?'**

I held my hand up to silence the questions and summarized, **'We found Tyreese, Sasha, and Ben in Cellblock A. They helped us. T-dog sacrificed himself for Carol. Both cellblock A and the gardens are clear now.'**

**'You haven't answered why you're neck is bruised.'** Daryl said looking at Sasha, Tyreese, and Ben suspiciously. 

**'Ben had just lost someone he loved. He was distraught, he lost his temper. He apologized and I forgave him.'** I explained watching Daryl's actions carefully. He picked up his crossbow and aimed it at Ben. Rick lowered it back down to the floor. Daryl sighed.

**'Wait, so T-dog is dead?'** Rick asked. I nodded solemnly. **'I have to go and bury him. Daryl come with me.'** He said gravely. 

They both left. Tyreese's group introduced themselves and everyone went back to doing what they were doing. I went to check on Lori. She was sitting on her bed. **'Are you ok?'** I asked her worried.

**'I'm fine. The babies just taking a lot out of me. Do you suddenly feel cold?'** She asked.

**'That's strange. I do. The heater was on! It's working. Or was. I'll go and fix it.'** I said turning.

**'I want to come with you. I've been useless and I want to help. Please, Alana.'** She said getting up. I sighed and nodded. What harm could it do? As Lori and I made our way out of Block C, I noticed we were being followed. I turned around and saw Carl. **'I want to come with you. I'm bored.'** He said looking at his Mum. She sighed and nodded. The heater room was apart from the rest of the prison. We had to go outside to get to it. The outside was clear though. The heater room was dark, like a maze. I squinted and saw a delight. **'Over there. Carl hold the door open, I'm worried it might shut and lock us in.'** He nodded and Lori followed me over to the heater. There were lots of buttons and I had no clue what to press. I figured it out when I saw the on button. I flicked it and the heaters made a humming sound. 

I heard dripping sound coming from next to me. **'Oh god.'** Lori whispered. 

**'Lori. Talk to me, what's wrong?'** I asked.

**'I'm going into labor.** ' She gasped. The door slammed shut as Carl came running over to his mum. 

**'No!'** I shouted. Running over to the door. It was jammed shut. **'NO! NO! NO!** ' I shouted. Banging the door to try and get someone's attention. I heard Lori shriek from behind me. I ran over and laid her out on the floor. I stroked her forehead. **'It's ok, Lori. Just breathe. Carl keep banging on the door.'** I ordered urgently. I pulled her trousers off and lifted her legs up. My stomach dropped. **'What's wrong?'** She asked, half in pain half scared. 

**'Your baby won't come out correctly. The umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck. I'm going to have to do a c-section. I'm so sorry Lori.'** I started to break down in tears. 

**'And you don't have the right equipment, do you? I understand. Shh, it's ok Alana. Look at me. I know you can do this. Tell Rick I love him and when she grows up tell her I love her. Carl, my boy, I'm so sorry.'** This made me start to cry even more. I looked up. I was expecting to see her terrified. She seemed strangely calm and ready. **'It's ok, Alana. You need to save my baby. You can do this. I trust you. Look after my boy for me. Ah!'** Another contraction hit her hard. **'You need to work quickly Alana.'** She cried. I tried to control my shaky breath as I took out my knife. 

**'I'm so sorry Lori. I truly am.'** She nodded and tried to control her own breathing. I cut her lower abdomen, as I heard shouts coming from outside the door. 

**'Don't worry, Lori! I'm going to get you out of there!'** Ricks's voice boomed, I could hear his voice breaking. Blood dripped over everywhere. Carl ran over to his mum and stroked her hair, he was sobbing uncontrollably. She reached up to his cheek weakly. **'I love you, my baby.'** She said finally. Passing out. Carl cried out. **'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.'** I repeated over and over again. I pulled out the baby. She cried in my arms as I cut the umbilical cord. I wrapped her in my shirt. **'Carl, hold her.'** I handed the baby girl over to Carl. Reaching over to listen for Lori's heartbeat. She was gone. **'I'm so sorry Carl. I am so sorry.'** I sobbed. Carl took a breath in. Shocking me, he handed the baby girl over to me, who was crying too and took out his gun. Bang. He collapsed in tears. I heard Rick's voice at the door. **'No. What was that? Is everyone ok?'** He asked, the nerves audible in his voice. **'Step back, we are blowing the door open. Lori, I'm coming to get you, baby.'** He said. I held the baby close my skin and put my finger in her mouth to stop her from crying. The tears ran down my face not stopping. The door blew open. **'Lori?'** Rick's voice came from outside. I stood up, shaking. Followed by Carl. I stepped out into the light holding Rick's baby. I walked over to Rick. **'I'm so sorry Rick. There was nothing I could do.'** I started to break down in tears again. He looked up, tears filling his eyes. He glanced at the baby. I stumbled over to Daryl. Beth took the baby from my bloody hands and Daryl took me in his arms. He held my head against his chest. **'You're ok. You're ok.'** I cried into his chest. I heard Rick screaming in pain behind me. I heard Carl's cries too. I blamed myself. What if I could have saved her. Daryl seemed to know what I was thinking and said, **'There was nothing you could do. She sacrificed herself for her baby. It's ok.** ' 

3 hours later, I was sitting on my bed, with a blanket wrapped around me. Daryl was outside trying to calm Rick down. Lori was gone. Thanks to Daryl, I had come to peace with the fact that there was nothing I could have done to help Lori. I heard voices coming into the block and I limped out of my cell. I saw Rick, he had the remnants of tears on his face but his facial expression was cold and hard. He was followed by a woman that I had never seen before, she was in chains. **'Who is that?'** I heard Maggie ask. 

**'Her name is Michonne. She says there is someone called the governor coming for us.'** He said leaving her sitting at the table. He left the room again. 

**'Andrea is looking for you all.'**


	17. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group goes and investigates Woodbury.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really action packed. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 4 (Season 3) - Lost and Found

When the woman said this, everyone suddenly got up. I walked over to her. **'Did you just say Andrea is looking for us? Like blonde, relatively tall.'** I asked shocked. She nodded. 

**'I found her running from something in the forest about 8 months ago. She wasn't in good shape as she couldn't keep any food down. The Governor and his henchman found us. A man that was missing his hand, held us at gunpoint. I left to find you all, Andrea isn't allowed to leave. I think she's in danger.'** Michonne finished. 

I sat down next to her to take this all in. I looked around at everyone else's facial expressions. It was a mix of shock and fear. I realized Michonne was still tied up and I undid her chains. **'Did you come with any weapons?'** I asked her. She nodded and pointed to the two swords that were lying by the entrance. I picked them up for her and gave them to her. She slid them back into the holsters on her back. 

**'We need to go and get Andrea.'** Ricks's voice was at the door of the block. 

The next hour was spent planning. Finally, once the plan was created we started our journey. Hershel was left in charge of Beth, Judith (Ricks newborn), and Carl. Everyone else followed Michonne out to this place called Woodbury. It was still day time when we arrived. It was surrounded by walls but Michonne new a way in. She led us in through the back of an apartment building and we exited the building into a dark back alley. Carol scoped everywhere **. 'It seems safe enough. Oh wait, we've got two armed guards at the gate and two guarding a house. That must be where the governor is.'** She explained. Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, and I creeped out of the alleyway and down the street, silently taking out the guards outside the house. I watched as the rest of them went into a nearby tunnel, this would lead into the sewers. Suddenly, I heard a gun being aimed behind me. **'Do not move.'** An unknown voice came from behind me. It suddenly went black. I was knocked out. 

I woke up. It was still dark though, I realized there was a bag over my head. I heard voices around me. **'Merle, I want you to interrogate these people. They are from Andrea's group. You might know them.'** My heart stopped temporarily. Did they just say, Merle? Suddenly the bag was lifted from my head, I saw that Daryl was next to me with a shocked facial expression. Maggie and Glenn were in the corner of the room, still knocked out. **'Holy shit!'** Merle laughed. **'It's my bro and the street girl! How small is this world?** ' He laughed. 

**'Merle! I thought you were dead!'** Daryl shouted. This surprised Merle.

 **'I survive anything and everything brother. I'm glad to see you're ok.'** He smiled. He then looked at me.

He came over to me and ruffled my hair, just like the old days. **'And you, street girl, I thought you moved to the big city? How are you here? And why are you wearing a ring on that finger? My brother liked you for so long, I bet he's devastated.'** He smiled. I looked at Daryl nervously. Daryl looked at Maggie and Glenn, seeing that they were still unconscious, he nodded. 

**'I moved back to Atlanta to study veterinary surgery. I met Daryl as soon as the world turned to shit. Daryl and I- Daryl and I... Well, we share the same last name now, if you know what I mean.'** There was a shocked look on Merle's face. But then smiled, then he started to laugh. 

**'Hey bro, you got yourself a nice one! Congrats, little bro.'** He said smiling. He then got closer to our faces. 

'Listen, I'm supposed to be interrogating you both, with violence. But I don't want to do that. I have a deal for you. You can leave now but you have to leave those two.' He gestured to Maggie and Glenn. 

**'No Merle. Come back with us. Why won't you do that?'** Daryl asked, pleading him to come with us. 

**'I would if I could. If I do, my head'll be on a pike. And I don't fancy that little bro. One day, I will come to visit your little family eventually. Don't you worry your little panties off.'** He smiled. He let us both out of our chains and pointed us down a corridor. **'Go down there, follow it to the end. It will take you out into the back alley. Take care of yourselves.'** He said walking away from us. 

Everyone that went to the small town returned to the prison. Apart from Maggie and Glenn. When we reached cellblock C, I heard Beth crying. Rick ran over to the source of the noise, I followed him. When I arrived I saw a couple of dead walkers on the floor, and Hershel was lying on one of the beds. Then I saw it. There was a bite mark on his knee, it looked fairly recent. **'I've been bitten.'** Hershel said in a calm voice. 

Rick, with saddened eyes, lifted his gun. **'Wait! I may have just potentially found a way to save him.'** Everyone looked at me expectantly.

 **'If we cut off the leg then you might be able to survive before the walker's bacteria reach the rest of your body!'** I said. Rick nodded and looked at Hershel. 

**'Oh. Well, it's better than dying.'** Hershel explained. Rick nodded again and got his axe out, as soon as he was finished chopping off the leg, I swooped into to stop the bleeding. I made sure there were no severed nerve endings, and then I closed up the stump. Hershel was unconscious, but I leaned my crutches against the cell wall for when he woke up. 

When I exited the cell, I noticed everyone was crowded around one of the tables. **'We have to go back. We know our way around now, and we have even more recent to go back now that Maggie and Glenn are still there. And Merle!'** Daryl was trying to persuade them all to go back. 

**'And we will go back, but Andrea didn't want to come back with us. I'm not sure why. She said she was going to be undercover and get close to the governor so that she could kill him. So we have to make sure Andrea stays at Woodbury. Tonight, under the cover of darkness, we will return for Maggie and Glenn.'** Rick explained. He saw the look on Daryl's face and added,' **And Merle.'**


	18. Get Back Up Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group needs to save their own from The Governor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate Chapter Alert!! These next two chapters are going to have a mix of action and dialogue. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 5 (Season 3) - Get Back Up Again

The group exited the prison, this time, accompanied by Sasha's group as well. We needed the extra firepower. Daryl and I separated from the rest of them because we knew where Maggie and Glenn were. 

We went through the tunnel and exited through back into the interrogation room. No one saw us enter, Glenn had a black eye and cuts on his arms. Maggie seemed emotionally hurt rather than physically but she still had a couple of bruises. They were the only ones in the room. 

I ran over to them unhooking their chains. **'Alana?'** Maggie asked, frightened. She had a blindfold on. I took it off. I hugged her.

**'You two need to go now. Follow that tunnel all the way to the end, it will take you to the back-alley. Go back to the prison. Be fast!'** I told them both. They both nodded. I heard footsteps coming down the steps. Maggie and Glenn ran down the tunnel. Daryl and I hid behind boxes in the corner, waiting for Merle. 

A man with an eye patch entered the room. He was followed by Merle. Merle had a sharp knife looking thing on his stump. The man with the eye patch sighed when he saw the empty room. He turned to Merle. 

**'Merle, what did you do with them? I knew you were still loyal to them.'** The man started to raise his voice, he raised his hand to strike Merle.

**'No, Governor, I didn't do this. I promise.'** Merle replied, flinching. Daryl moved as if he was going to go and beat the Governor up. I stopped him. 

Just as The Governor was about to strike Merle, he stopped. A smile spread across his face. **'Well, well, well. No, you didn't do it, Merle. It seems we have some visitors. You can come out now.'** He started to approach us. I reached for my knife. Daryl got one of his arrows. The Governor moved the boxes so that we were visible. Just as we were about to attack. Merle raised his gun towards me. **'I'm so sorry little brother.'** He sighed.

**'Oh my. Is this a family reunion? You must be the famous Daryl! Oh, and of course, his wife.'** He raised his hand, telling everyone to lower their weapons. I hesitated but seeing that Merle could just shoot us in the head, I lowered my knife. 

**'That's it. Now give them to me.'** The governor reached out his hand. Daryl shook his head. I scowled at The Governor. Suddenly there was a crash. The lights went out and I heard a thud. When the lights came back on, The Governor was unconscious on the floor and Rick was aiming a gun at Merle. **'Come on. Let's get back before he wakes up.'**

When we got back to the prison, Glenn and Maggie were talking to Hershel, Michonne was talking to Carl and Rick was locking Merle in one of the cells. 

**'Well, this just gives me deja vu. You locking me up.'** Merle laughed. Rick looked up scowling then walked off. Daryl and I approached his cell. 

**'What happened to Mr. Grumpy over there?'** Merle smiled. 

**'He lost his wife when she was giving birth.'** I said, not smiling. This wiped the smile from Merle's face. 

**'I'll let you two talk.'** I said to Daryl and his brother. He nodded and went back to talking to Merle. I walked out of Cellblock C and out of the prison. Rick was sitting on steps holding his daughter in his arms. I walked over to him and sat next to him. **'I heard you named her Judith.'** I said, with a small smile.

He looked up with a sad smile, **'Yeah. Lori and I thought of it on our way to the prison. She's named after Lori's sister.'** He replied.

**'It's a pretty name. She looks a lot like her mother.'** I said stroking Judith's hair. 

**'I know you won't get this a lot but, thank you. For everything you have done and are doing for this group. I am grateful. And I know Daryl thinks of you as his brother.'** I said smiling. 

He looked up at me. Rick, along with everyone else was my family. Near-death experiences, speed up the amount of time it takes for you to become close to someone. Rick was like a brother to me. I hoped he knew that. He smiled, knowing what I was thinking and he nodded appreciatively. 

**'We are going to have to keep an eye out for milk. I don't know how long she can go without it.'** He said, concerned. 

**'I thought of that on the way to the prison. I also found a lot of stuff for Judith. Nappies, a Dodie, a teddy bear, a small cot, formula. The list goes on. It's all in my bag. Here.'** I took my bag off my back and opened it. I took out the small teddy bear and rested it in her small hands. She giggled and tried to eat it. Rick laughed. 

**'Thank you, Alana. It means so much to me. Judith is going to have the best family she could have ever had.'** He said smiling. I nodded. When I returned to cellblock C I took out all of the baby things and put them on Rick's bed. A nice surprise for when he got back. 

I saw that Daryl was talking to Carol so I went over to Merle, who was still locked in his cell. 

**'Hey, Merle. Its good to see you again.'** He looked up.

**'Yeah, street girl. Than you for looking after Daryl for me. He's always been the sweet one.'** He smiled. 

**'He missed you every single day since Atlanta.'** I told him. He nodded as if he knew this already. 

**'Here, I want you to have something. It's an old music player. It's portable. I knew that you loved music when you were on the streets and that you had one of these.'** He handed me a yellow walkman. Tears started to fill my eyes. **'Don't cry.'** He laughed. 

**'Thanks, Merle. Thank you so much.'** I thanked him, untangling the earphone wires. I put it in my pocket for later. 

**'You Dixons hold my heart in your hands.'** I laughed. He laughed too.


	19. Yellow Walkman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Finale of Season 3. Who will live?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the finale of the season , I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 3) - Yellow Walkman

**'We still haven't saved Andrea.'** Carol said. It was the first meeting of the day. 

**'I know. She was locked up last time I saw her. We have to go back today. This is our plan so listen up everybody. I will go with Glenn and Carol to steal most of their if not all of their guns and ammo. This might cause a distraction. Daryl and Alana will go for Andrea. We are going with Merle as he knows his way around Woodbury. If something goes wrong, shoot your gun but that is the only circumstance I want you to shoot your gun, do you understand?'** Everyone nodded. 

When it was night time, we were back in the alley. There were more armed guards around so Daryl, Merle, and I had to go the long way around the tunnels. Andrea was locked up in a separate interrogation room that was outside. Just as we saw her room, something hit my head from behind. I let out a scream but then everything was black. I had been knocked out, again. 

When I woke up, I wasn't wearing a bag over my head. I was back in the interrogation room. I saw Daryl sitting in a chair, he looked as if he had been beaten up. Merle was sitting next to me. He was still unconscious. The Governor was sitting at the other end of the table. He looked at me. 

**'Oh look! Your wife is awake!'** He exclaimed happily. He lifted Daryl out of his seat and pushed him onto the seat on the other side of me. I looked at him nervously. He looked at me worried. The Governor pulled me up out of my seat then back into the one Daryl was in. 

**'Now, I don't like to hurt women. But when they try to steal my people, that really angers me.'** He said sitting down in front of me. I had a gag on so I couldn't talk. 

**'Your friends found Andrea by the way. I'm sorry to tell you but my scientist died and bit her. She's dead.'** He frowned. Andrea was gone. The list of people I had lost was growing rapidly. He noticed my emotions and smiled. **'I noticed you were missing your foot. I bet there's a great story for that. But we do not have the time.'** He was still smiling. Psychopath, I thought to myself. **'I want you to tell me, where your friends are. And If you don't then things are going to get violent.'** He said menacingly. He removed my gag and sat back down with his arms crossed. Waiting for me to tell him. 

Seeing that I was not going to tell him, he sighed and then punched me across my face. I spat blood at him, this earned a small laugh from Merle, who was awake now. The governor grimaced. He pulled out a knife and put it to my throat. Daryl made a noise to tell him to stop. The Governor went back to smiling.' **If you don't tell me, I'll cut your throat.'** He whispered in my ear. I smiled and whispered back, **'Go for it.'** This triggered something inside of him and he plunged the knife into my thigh. **'Shit!'** I cried. Suddenly, a man came down the stairs and said, **' Sorry to interrupt, Sir. The people are waiting.'** He nodded and smiled. **'Take them up there. I'm done with them.'** He looked at me maliciously. Three more men came down the stairs and pulled us up. I shrieked as the man made me walk on my bleeding leg. They removed the gags from the brothers and when we reached our destination, the light blinded my eyes. 

Once I had adjusted, I saw a stand, filled with cheering people. There was a ring in front of me, with walkers tied to poles around the exits. I saw The Governor sit down amidst the crowds smiling. It was a fighting pit. The man stationed Daryl at one end of the ring, Merle at one end, and put me at another. The governor waved his hand and people started shouting, **'Fight! Fight! Fight!'** I looked at Daryl and Merle nervously. A man pushed me further into the ring, telling me to fight one of them. I didn't want to. **'If you don't fight, they both die.'** A man whispered in my ear. I approached them both. Merle ran up from behind Daryl and looked as if he was punching him, I saw him whisper something in Daryl's ear, Daryl nodded. Then, Daryl pushed away from Merle and came after me. He pinned my arms behind my back and whispered, **'Follow what Merle does. Now punch me in the arm.'** I punched Daryl in the arm lightly so that it would only bruise and not cause any damage. I watched Merle as he pulled Daryl away. He then proceeded to stab his hand into my wound and then he twisted it, causing me to scream out in pain. This suddenly caused Daryl to push Merle off me and punch him in the face. Over and over again. Merle punched Daryl. The crowd was going wild. Suddenly, the lights in the room exploded and the sound of assault rifles filled the air. I felt someone lift me over their shoulder and run into the darkness from where the lights exploded. Something knocked me on the head and my world went spinning. Then the person dropped me to the hard cold floor. They started shooting. There people everywhere shooting guns. I realized I was outside. I heard footsteps and shouts. Something started kicking me over and over again. There was more than one person. I could taste blood in my mouth. Tears started to stream down my face. There were 3 gunshots and the kicking stopped. I was picked up in someone's arms again and then carried to somewhere dark. **'Get her out of here. Meet up at the prison.'** I heard Rick's voice. I managed to make out that Daryl was carrying me. He was being followed into a forest. After 2 more minutes of running, he laid me down against a nearby tree. He touched my cheek. **'Can you hear me?'** I heard him. I nodded. Merle came into my view. He looked like he had been fighting many people. **'Can you stand up?'** He asked. I used all my energy and slowly rose up. Using the tree for balance. 

There was the crunch of branches behind us. 'We're being followed! Run!' Daryl and Merle ran closely towards me. I was slowing them down. I tripped over a log and face planted into the ground. They had both stopped. **'Leave me. I'll be ok. Get out of here.'** I managed to say. Daryl hesitated but Merle pulled him away from me. They went running into the distance. The footsteps were rapidly getting closer so I rolled quietly into a nearby bush. The sharp branches scratched at my face but I remained silent. **'They went over there!'** I heard someone say. They ran past me in the direction that Daryl and Merle went. Then it was silent. I crawled out of the bush and looked at my thigh. It was bleeding a lot. I noticed that someone had given back my bag and so I opened it. My gun and knife were in there, alongside my yellow walkman. I got out the first aid kit and ripped off a small patch from my trousers. There wasn't any internal damage so I looked for a needle and thread to stitch up my thigh. There was nothing to numb the area so it would hurt a lot. I felt the pain a lot as I began to stitch my thigh, I couldn't see very well, I bit my sleeve so that I wouldn't scream. 

Once I had stitched up my thigh, I used the tree to get up. I tried to run, I could only walk limply. I walked as fast as I could, holding my gun in both hands. I followed Daryl and Merle's tracks. Suddenly, I noticed that they had separated. Merle had diverted out of the trees into a clearing that had abandoned buildings, Daryl had continued through the forest. The sun was starting to rise on the right, where the buildings were so I made sure I knew where Merle was. I followed Daryl's tracks until they stopped abruptly at a tree. I looked around the tree and saw Daryl, he pinned me against a tree and pushed a knife to my throat, drawing a little bit of blood. He realized it was me and released me with shocked eyes. **'I'm so sorry Alana. I didn't realize it was you. Merle was chased into that clearing. I think we should go after him.'** He explained. I nodded and creeped out of the clearing silently. When I saw that there were only walkers there, I stood up properly, Daryl followed behind me looking around nervously. My legs stopped working, along with my breathing. Daryl bumped into me. 

The sight before brought so many tears to my eyes that they started to spill over. Stinging my eyes. Merle was there. But he wasn't at the same time. He was growling and he was ghostly pale. His eyes were white with red veins and he had blood all over him. He was limping over towards us, biting air. **'Oh my god.'** I choked out. Merle was a walker. I heard Daryl's cry when he realized what I was seeing. I walked backward slowly so that Merle couldn't bite me. I heard Daryl dissolve in tears next to me. I did the same. **'No! Shit! Why?'** I asked the sky. I looked at Daryl, he was crying uncontrollably but he was raising his crossbow. ' **No, Daryl, you don't have to-'** Daryl shot Merle in the head and then fell to his knees. Merle crashed to the ground. His lifeless eyes grew even more lifeless as the blood trickled down his face. I walked over to Daryl and kneeled by his side. **'I'm so sorry. Daryl, we should bury him.'** I whispered. He nodded and got to his feet, wiping the tears from his cheeks. 

We dug a large hole in the ground and carefully lay him down in the ground. I tipped the ground back into the hole as Daryl watched, tears streaming down both of our faces. Once the grave was filled, I found a nearby flower and carefully placed it on the grave. Daryl left his handprint on the soil and I followed him. **'I love you, big brother.'** Daryl choked out. I stroked his back comfortingly. 

Back at the prison, Hershel was healing all of my wounds. I had to use the freezing prison showers to get all of the dried blood and mud off my scratched skin. Once Hershel had finished, I made my way to Rick, who was sitting on one of the benches rubbing his temples. I sat next to him, **'Thank you for saving us back there.'** I said to him. He looked up at me. 

**'No problem. I'm sorry for your loss. Both Merle and Andrea are gone. Did you know that Andrea shot herself?'** He asked, his voice grave and solemn. 

**'I heard. We are losing people quickly.'** I lowered my voice so that no one else heard the depressing conversation. Rick nodded. I got up and walked over to our cell. Daryl was lying on the bed looking up at the ceiling. I dropped my bag to the floor and got the yellow walkman and the earphones from the bag and lay down next to him. He put his arm around me and put one of the earphones into his ear and one into mine. I turned the walkman on. The first song that played was Hurt by Johnny Cash. Tears filled my eyes. **'He remembered the songs I liked.'** I whispered. I heard Daryl's breath catch next to me. 

We lay there, listening to the song. Thinking about all that we had found. And all that we had lost. 


	20. 7 months later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 7 months later from the attack from Woodbury, the prison is now the home of all the Woodbury survivors and Rick's group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the start of season 4. From now on the seasons are going to be longer so that I don't speed through everything too quickly. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 4) - 7 months later

It had been 7 months since the attack on Woodbury. The small town had fallen when Rick's group destroyed it. Everyone that had survived lived in the prison. I had taken charge of the hospital alongside Hershel. 

I was sitting in Daryl and I's cell. It had been decorated, there was now a sheet covering the door so that we had privacy and there were hooks and shelves on the wall for clothes and my bag and Daryl's crossbow. I was officially given the title of a doctor when Hershel gave me a test. I was no longer a student. Daryl helped protect the prison from walkers and so he always woke up early and went to bed late. I still got to see him at mealtimes and at night. Luckily, the hospital was rarely busy, which meant I could help teach the children about what life was like before the apocalypse. Life was good for 7 months. But then it all went to shit. 

I woke up. Light shone through the gap in the sheet. I turned around and saw that Daryl had already left for guard duty. I sighed and got up. Rick was growing vegetables in the garden so we didn't need to ration as much anymore. I made my way out of cellblock C and into the bustling courtyard where the outside mess hall was. I walked up to the queue. Carol was waiting in line. **'Hey, Carol.'** I said smiling. She smiled back. My hair was now reaching my waist but I didn't mind. I would only cut it when it got in the way. Carol's hair was growing too. It was no longer as short as it was when I met her. She seemed happier now. As if there wasn't a weight carrying her down. Everyone seemed like that. Apart from Rick. He had seemed more distant ever since Lori's death. **'How are you?'** Carol asked pleasantly. 

**'I'm good. For the first time in a while. I'm actually good.'** I smiled. I reached the front of the queue and Tyreese poured me some soup. **'Thank you Tyreese.'** I smiled. He smiled and nodded back. Once I had eaten, I got up and walked to the prison gardens. This was where Rick spent most of his time. He was there listening to music while planting seeds in the soil. I walked up to him. **'Hey, Rick.'** He looked up and took out his earphones. 

**'Oh hey, Alana.'** He spoke as if his mind was thinking of something he didn't want to be thinking about. 'Is there something you wanted to talk about?' He asked, rubbing the soil off his hands. 

**'Yeah, there was. I just wanted to know if you had seen Michonne recently?'** I asked. 

**'Yeah, she's about to leave again. Looking for him still.'** He replied starting to put his earphones back in. I nodded and headed over to the main gate. Ever since Woodbury, Michonne had been out every single day looking for The Governor. I saw sliding her swords into her holster. 

**'Hey, Michonne!'** I called. She looked up confused. I approached her, 

**'I want to know if you had found anything?'** I asked. If the Governor was returning then we needed to start preparing as much as we could. She shook her head. He was hiding still. Just like the coward that he was. 

It was a short day before I knew it I was back lying on my bed when Daryl came in. I sat up. **'Hey.'** He said, resting the crossbow against the wall. 

**'Long day?'** I asked. He shook his head. He sat next to me. I rested my head on his shoulder. Daryl and I had made a habit of listening to the yellow walkman every night. It was soothing. I was drifting to sleep when I heard a scream. Daryl got up picking up his crossbow. I grabbed my gun and knife from a nearby shelf. Everyone was awake. The sounds were coming from Cellblock B. I ran in. Patrick, one of the kids, was eating a man. He was a walker. Rick was right behind us. It was worrying how fast and without hesitating, Rick shot Patrick in the head. And he also shot the man. And the rest of Patrick's victims without even saying a word. 

Something was happening. But what?


	21. Bacteria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group try to figure out why Patrick attacked people. And how he died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one might be delayed, but I'm not sure. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 2 (Season 3) - Bacteria

About 6 months ago, a council was created to keep order in the prison. The council was made up of everyone from our original group. Even Rick didn't want to be a part of it. This was our first council meeting in over two months. 

Everyone gathered around a table in Cellblock C. **'Did anyone see Patrick recently?'** Carol asked. 

**'I was talking to him, he said he wasn't feeling well and went to take a shower.'** Carl spoke up. 

**'Its an illness then.'** I suggested. There were nods around the table. 

**'It needs to be fixed as soon as possible if its killing people.'** Hershel warned. 

**'It must be in the food. There was a massive increase in people in the hospital today. They all said they were feeling sick and kept coughing. It's either in the food or in the air.'** I suggested.

**'If it was in the air then we would all have it.'** Rick spoke up from the corner of the room. 

Suddenly, it all came to me. **'The pigs.'** I said aloud.

**'What?'** People asked.

**'It's the pigs. I've seen this before when I was training. Pigs can pick up viruses if they are kept outside for a certain amount of time without washing. It's the pigs.'** I felt sure of it. 

**'I'll go kill them then.'** Rick sighed getting up.

**'Wait. You don't have to do that. Just wash them, wear a hazmat suit or something, and send them into the wild. Do not kill them.'** I warned. 

**'What's the cure?'** Daryl asked. 

**'It's a certain type of medicine. A mix of cough syrup and pain killer chemicals. We don't have the medicine here but I know a nearby veterinary college that might have it. It's just down the road from here.'** I circled the map at the centre of the table. 

**'Then Daryl will go out with a group for the medicine.'** Rick said leaving the room. Once he was out of hearing distance, I whispered, **'Somethings wrong with Rick.'**

**'He's been through a lot. He just needs time to deal with it himself.'** Hershel explained. Everyone started to get up. 

**'Hershel, we should quarantine the infected.'** I told him, he nodded. 

We cut off the hospital and started putting people in that had been infected. It was going to be a long day.

Once everyone was in, I was about to shut the enormous iron doors but someone stopped me. It was Daryl.

**'You're locking yourself in with them? They could kill you.'** He sounded frustrated. I reached up and stroked his cheek. 

**'I'll be fine, I promise. I have a gun and a knife and I haven't had any of the pigs food recently. It will be fine I promise. Just go and get the medicine and then we can all be alright.'** He nodded and briefly held my hand before leaving. I pushed the door shut and sealed it with tape. 3 people passed out, 5 minutes into the night. 

The next morning, I saw 2 bodies outside, looking through the window, they were scorched with fire so they were unrecognisable. I was beginning to feel more and more fatigued and sweating more so I didn't ask what had happened there. 

I realized what was going on when I began to cough up blood. **'Hershel, we have a problem.'** I choked out. He came walking over on his crutches, he saw the blood and sighed. 

**'I'm sorry Alana.'** He put me into a room and locked the door. Daryl came back from getting the group ready in the morning before they sat out on their mission. He came to my window expecting to see me healthy and when he saw me lying weakly with blood dripping from my mouth he shouted. **'No! NO! Alana, look at me, I'm gonna get that medicine. I'm gonna get it, I promise.'** He pounded against the window. He ran off. 

I was infected. 


	22. Race Against Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prison has been overrun by a fatal disease. Will they get the medicine in time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if this one takes longer to come out I'm just taking a break temporarily
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 3 (Season 4)- Race Against Time

My head was pounding. I could hear people through the walls coughing, it was such a miserable environment. I felt as if I had just run a million marathons straight without stopping. My bones were hurting and my joints ached painfully. There was a part of me wishing that Hershel would just shoot me. 

I watched Daryl and a group leave through a window. He had to be quick, I could feel death right around the corner. The pain killers Hershel was giving out weren't working anymore either. If anything, they were doing more damage. I just kept throwing them up again. 

I felt hot. So incredibly hot. As if my brain was on fire. **'Hershel!'** I croaked. There was no way he could have heard me. I tried calling him again but nothing came out of my mouth. I tried to get up off the bed, but I just fell to the ground, causing every past wound to suddenly burn with pain. I shrieked, surprising seeing as I couldn't speak a minute ago. I guessed it was pain that needed to get my voice going. He came over and looked in through the window in the door. His eyes widened. He opened the door.

**'Hershel, no.'** I tried to get away from him. I couldn't move my legs though. 

**'You're going to be alright. Daryl and his group have been keeping me informed over a walkie talkie. They have the medicine and are on there way back. Don't worry, you just have to make it until then.'** He sighed.

I didn't hear the last part as my head exploded. It felt as if my brain had just blown to pieces. My eyes started to go crazy, rolling backward. I felt my arms and legs twitching uncontrollably. I was having a seizure. I heard Hershel kneel next to me, carefully. He couldn't touch me. 

**'You just have to fight it, Alana. You can do this. You have been through worse. Think of how much Daryl would miss you if you died.'** He tried to make me stop seizing.

I listened to him and thought about Daryl. The moment I saw him back at the camp in Atlanta, the happiness that flowed through me. I suddenly felt my arms starting to stop seizing. I thought of when we lay down on the roof under the stars and he proposed. My legs started to stop seizing. When we listened to the yellow walkman together and everything felt right. My eyes rolled forwards. I had stopped seizing. I looked over to Hershel, shock in my eyes. 

' **Thank you.'** I whispered. I used all of the strength I had and pulled myself back onto the bed. Hershel smiled at me and closed the door behind him. I drifted into a dreamless sleep. 

When I woke up, I was expecting to feel better. But, to be honest, I felt worse. I was having multiple seizures and it was getting too much for me. I could never call Hershel so he had to keep checking up on me. Until finally, on my 7th seizure, I felt my brain start to slip away. My eyelids closed. I fell to the floor and felt the cold underneath me. I briefly heard footsteps approaching and heard the door swing open. There was more than one person now. I heard a gasp. But then everything was silent. There was nothing. Just dark. I felt nothing, not even the warmth. Everything was cold. Until my eyes were blinded by white. And then the color started to return. I felt something pounding on my chest. A painful punch to my chest ricocheted through my body, causing my body to flood with warmth. One more punch and air filled my lungs again. Daryl came into view. He looked like he had been crying. 

**'Holy shit.'** He whispered. I looked at him. I could smile. I realized that everything felt ok. I wasn't in pain. I tried to speak. It worked.

**'Daryl?'** I whispered. He smiled stroking my hair. **'You shouldn't be in here. Get out, you could die, get out!'** Panic filled me and I shouted. He continued to stroke my hair.

**'It's ok. Shhh, it's ok. I gave you the medicine. Hershel is giving it to the rest of the people.'** He said calmly. Relief flooded through me. I sighed. 

**'I thought I was dead.'** I laughed. However, a frown appeared on his face.

**'You were. When I came in, you were having a seizure but then you just stopped moving. Hershel said that it was fine you were probably just asleep but then I saw your chest stop moving. You weren't breathing. I opened your mouth and put the pill in. But you still weren't waking up. Hershel tried to give you CPR but that wasn't working either. He said you were gone. But I knew you weren't. I hit your chest as hard as I could, to get your heart working.'** I could see in his eyes that the memory of this was painful. **'And it worked.'** He said smiling at me with pure happiness. I kissed him. 

Little did I know that we were being watched. Through the window. By the man with the eye patch.

The Governor was back. 


	23. Man with the Eye Patch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Govenor returns with an army. Who will survive his attack?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am going to go back to doing 1 chapter a day just because I feel like if I go slower then maybe I can get better content. I hope that's ok with y'all. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 4 (Season 4)- The Man With The Eye Patch

It took about a day for everyone to recover from the disease. I woke up in the cell's bed feeling stronger and healthier. I stood up, expecting to fall but I just stood there. Daryl was already on guard duty, so I made my way down to see him. He wasn't at his usual post though. I looked around the prison until I found him burying the dead bodies, that had died from the disease. He was talking to Rick. I walked over. 

**'You can't just keep farming, Rick.'** Daryl explained.

 **'I can and I will.'** Rick said back. They both looked up when they saw me.

 **'It's good to see you, Alana.'** Rick said with a smile. Daryl also smiled at me. I had chosen to leave my shoe, that covers my prosthetic leg, back in the cell. 

**'I heard what you were talking about, and I agree with Daryl, Rick. You're pushing everything way. You need to deal with what you are going through. Talk to someone, I know everyone here is your family. Especially our group. You can talk to us.'** I said. He sighed and continued to dig the graves with Daryl. 

Something caught my attention in my peripheral vision. I looked over, and a gasp left my mouth. **'Rick. Daryl. Look.'** They both looked at me then to the forest border, where I was looking. The Governor was there, with about 20 people and a tank. Everyone had guns. I could tell he was smiling. He even waved. Rick ran out of the gardens and onto the fields. Everyone had noticed and our trained people were aiming guns at the Governor and his small army. 

**'Hey, Rick!** ' He shouted. I pulled out my gun. 

**'What do you want?'** Rick shouted back, the fury building in his eyes. 

**'I want your prison. And you are going to die so that I can get it. Oh, I almost forgot. Look who I have.'** He stepped aside and I saw Hershel and Michonne kneeling, their hands tied. I heard Maggie and Beth gasp loudly. 

**'Just let them go. There doesn't have to be any trouble.'** Rick pleaded. 

**'Oh, but there does.'** The Governor replied. He picked up Michonne's sword and aimed it at Hershel's neck. Beth and Maggie shrieked. I gasped, aiming my gun at the governor's head. Daryl was doing the same. **'Stop. Just stop. It's me you want, not them.'** Rick shouted.

 **'That is true, Rick. But I know that these deaths will cause you pain, just as you caused me.'** He swung his sword at Hershel's neck. Blood spilled down Hershel's shirt and he fell to the ground. Decapitated. Maggie and Beth's screams were deafening. 

**'Noooo!'** I shouted. Then bullets started to fire. The tank moved forward and people charged. It was a whirlwind of bullets and death. I saw Daryl run into a crowd of the opposing people. I ran after him but someone kicked my feet from under me, sending me falling to the ground. Someone aimed their gun at me. It was a woman, I had never seen her before. I had never killed a human before. I hesitated but just as she was about to pull the trigger, I pushed my gun to her abdomen and pulled the trigger. Blood spilled over my hands. There was a high pitched ringing in my ears. I pushed the woman off me and stood up. Then someone came running at me. I pulled out my knife. I realized it was a teenager. They ran at me screaming. There was nothing else I could do, tears started to fill my eyes as I drove my knife into their neck. Men came from behind me, shooting but missing, I turned around quickly and shot them both in the head. Tears spilled over onto my cheeks. Someone came up, unexpectedly behind me. They pushed me to the ground and held my gun down and started to push on my neck. I dropped my knife into my other hand stabbed them in the chest. I watched as their life drained from their eyes. I killed 5 more people before I realized what I had done. I stood there, fire blazing from the prison, no more gunshots, covered in blood, standing in the middle of a pile of bodies I had done that. I had ended their lives. Something broke in me that day. I felt it. My face hardened and I wiped the tears away. Picking up an assault rifle and extra ammo from one of the corpses and walking away. 

I looked around for anyone, but smoke from the fire covered the area around me. I saw movement, I ran over but saw nothing. It was lucky, how I always had my bag on my back and never left it in the cell, in case something like this happened. A hoard of walkers was approaching, cutting off the prison. I dissolved in tears as I ran away into the forest. 

Where would I go? Where was Daryl? Was he still alive? I was alone. Without anyone. I just kept running and running. And running. Until I was out of breath. I had reached a clearing. There were houses. I needed food and water. I walked over to the nearest one, stabbing the walkers in the head without thinking. I kicked the door down and got my gun ready. It was empty, so I walked over to the kitchen. I looked through the cupboards, there were about 5 cans of soup but that was it. I picked them all up and climbed onto the roof. It was starting to get dark. 

I looked up at the stars after I had eaten a can of soup. I remembered the many times I looked at the stars with Daryl. I sobbed when I thought about how I might never get to do that with him again. I looked at the wooden ring on my finger and kissed it. It might be the only thing I had left. I slowly cried myself to sleep up there, not caring about the multiple walkers below reaching up for me. 


	24. Maps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana is alone and the prison is gone. Will she find her group?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I haven't been posting as much lately, but I am hoping to get into more of a routine now.   
> I hope you enjoy! :) THIS ONE HAS A LITTLE BIT OF RAPE AND SWEARING SO BEWARE

Chapter 5 (Season 4)- Maps

I walked and walked. I felt empty inside. At one point, I had heard someone screaming and pretended it wasn't real, continuing to limp on one prosthetic foot and one aching foot. I couldn't take it anymore. I dropped to the ground on my knees on a road. Hoping that a walker would just come over and bite me. I heard some movement. Maybe my prayers had been answered after all. But then a males voice started to laugh. I looked up. There were about 3 of them, they looked rough. **'Wait until Joe here's about this. The new guy is gonna get his first chance to prove himself.'** One of them said in a low voice. I stood up pulling out my knife. **'Woah girly, no need for that is there?'** I heard one of them say. I should have felt nervous but I didn't, I still felt nothing. I looked at them with cold dead eyes. Dried blood on my face, like war paint. **'It looks like this one's been through a lot.'** One of them said. But then I felt pain from the back of my head and then it was black. 

I woke up tied to a pole in an old abandoned building. I still felt nothing. I checked to see if I still had my weapons, I didn't. I saw them lying on a table in the corner of the room. There were more men. They were drinking beers and looking at me. I just scowled at them. Another man walked up to me and kneeled in front of me. He looked at me condescendingly,' **Hey there, precious. Why don't you take off your shirt? It's getting a little warm in here.'** This was when I finally felt something. Fear. I didn't show it. I just showed the hatred. He reached for my shirt but I headbutted him. He laughed, his nose bleeding. 

' **Well, it looks like this one doesn't want to agree with us. We'll have to do this the hard way.'** He pushed my hands painfully above my head and pulled my shirt over my head. He then proceeded to take my pants off. He smiled when he noticed the prosthetic leg. I was sitting there in my underwear, with disgusting men looking at me, undressing me further with their eyes. It made me want to die even more than before. I spat them and whispered, **'Fuck you.'** They all laughed. Apparently, they found everything I did funny. **'Let's get the new guy in here. I want him to finish the job.'** One of the guys said. Another one stood up and went to a different room. The man who had taken my clothes off started to reach for my bra but then he stopped when he saw the look in my eyes. It was like he could see the number of ways I was thinking of killing every last one of them. 'Hey, let's also bring in the other hostages.' **The man said, not moving his eyes from mine.'** I saw shadows move and looked to the corner of the room. There were three people with their hands behind their backs. When they were rushed to the ground in the light, I saw who it was. Rick, Michonne, and Carl. My eyes widened. They were all unconscious, which was good. It would be even more humiliating if they saw me. But then, the fourth shadow came into view. My heart stopped. **'Dixon?'** I whispered. His eyes widened and jaw briefly dropped. **'Holy shit.'** He whispered. **'You know her? Even better. You can have the honor of taking her underwear off then.'** One of the men laughed, gripping his beer tightly. One of them started to run their hands across my skin, I saw something change in Daryl's eyes. He was about to kill them all. 

**'That's my wife.'** He whispered, looking at all the bruises and cuts on my skin. He went to go and cover me up, but a hand stopped him. ' **She's ours now.'** One of them said. I gave Daryl a knowing look and when the man approached I headbutted him again, knocking him out. Daryl shot a couple of the men in the heads with his crossbow. I noticed that Rick had woken up and was taking in the scene before him. He stood up abruptly and went to help out Daryl. I watched in pure horror as he tore out a man's throat with his mouth.

Once all of the men were dead, Daryl ran over to me and put his jacket around me. Untying my hands and then searching for my clothes in the dark. He found them and handed them to me. As I dressed I whispered,' **I thought you were dead. I thought you were all dead.'** He looked at me with sad eyes. 

**'I did too. I promise, I didn't know who these guys were I'm so sorry.'** He apologized profusely. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered, **'It's fine.'** But suddenly, I started to dissolve in tears in his arms. **'Daryl, I did things. Things I'm not proud of. I killed people. There is blood all over me. Other people's blood.'** I sobbed. He stroked my hair. 

**'It's ok. We've all done things we regret.'** He replied, softly. Once I had recovered I watched as Daryl walked over to Rick with a water bottle so he could wash the blood off. Just as Daryl had done to me. I heard little bits of their conversation, but one part of it hit me. **'Daryl. You're my brother. And Alana is family. You both are. Never forget that.'** This brought tears to my eyes. I picked up my weapons and put them in my holsters and then picked up my bag. I made sure Michonne and Carl were ok then checked the men's dead bodies for anything good. 

On one of them, there was a long sword, with patterns intertwining beautifully on the iron. It wasn't like Michonne's. It was lighter and had a rusted green handle. I loved it. I slung the holster over my back, under my bag and slid the sword into it. 

Finally, we were all back on the road. I walked next to Daryl. **'How did you escape? Did you leave the prison with anyone?'** I asked him curiously. He looked pained.

**'Yeah, I did. Beth. But she was kidnapped.'** He said quietly.

**'Kidnapped? We will find her. I promise.'** I looked at him. He looked up, he looked tired but I knew that I did too. I got out the yellow walkman and put an earphone in his ear and one in mine and played a song. He smiled a little, and that was all I could have ever dreamed of. We were following the train tracks, because Rick, Michonne, and Carl had found a sign. I found it too, on the train tracks. It was leading us to a place called Terminus. 

Sure I was suspicious, but still, I couldn't help but think to myself, was this going to be our new home?


	25. Ready For Shipping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The small group make their way to Terminus, what will they find there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been thinking of making a new fanfiction, but I'm not sure if I should do another one about the walking dead, I might do one in the MCU. This chapter is mainly dialogue but, there is some action. I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 4)- Ready For Shipping

It felt like we had been walking for days. We probably had been. We were still following the tracks, but it felt like we were getting closer. 

**'So, whereabouts did Beth get taken?'** I asked, looking at Daryl curiously. He looked up.

**'I'm not sure, I didn't have a map with me.'** He replied. I nodded and walked over to Rick.

**'Hey.'** I greeted him with a tired smile. 

**'We all need some rest after what happened back there. You the most. I'm sorry they did that to you.'** He replied sadness but mainly exhaustion in his eyes. 

**'It's ok, they are dead and that's the end of the story.'** I sighed.

About 2 hours later, the track ended and we made it to these large iron gates. Daryl pulled them open and I got my sword ready. There was no one there though. Apart from one woman. She was cooking something on a barbeque, she was under a shelter. We walked over to her, with visible confusion on our faces. **'Is this Terminus?'** Rick asked. She nodded. 

**'It is, and welcome. We hope you enjoy your time here. We only ask that you put your weapons in this here bag.'** She said with a strangely artificial smile. Something felt wrong about this but Rick gave me a look, so I put my sword, knife, and my gun in the bag. I would be getting them back later, no matter what. I was allowed to keep my bag for some reason. She led us over to a space that had buildings on one side and shipping containers on the other. She smiled at us, gave Carl a strange sad smile, and walked off happily. We stood there confused, not sure what to do. **'What a great welcome party.'** Daryl said from behind. I nodded n agreement. 

Suddenly, there were shouts and I heard something, then I was grabbed by my waist from behind and pulled. I shouted, **'Hey! Get off me!'** I saw that there were men pulling Daryl, Carl, Michonne, and Rick over too. Rick punched his man but got knocked out in return. I pushed away from him, but he was stronger than me and threw me into a dark metal container, followed by the rest of them. They shut the door with a bang. I heard others breathing. 

**'Alana?'** I heard Maggie's voice from one of the corners. Once my eyes had adjusted I saw people. My people. There was Maggie, Glenn, Sasha, Bob (from prison). I also saw a large ginger man, a smaller woman that looked like she could win any fight, another woman that looked frightened and a man that had relatively long hair and looked like he knew everything. I hugged Maggie. She looked around. **'Wait. Where's Beth?'** She asked worriedly. Daryl explained everything to her as I walked over to Rick to check he was ok. He was still unconscious. I looked at the new people confused. Glenn walked over. 

**'That's Tara, from the prison, she was with The Governor, but don't worry, she didn't agree with what he was going. That big ginger guy is Abraham, that other woman is Rosita and that guy with the hair is Eugene. We met them on the road. They're heading to Washington, Eugene knows the cure to all this.'** He finished with an obvious smile. I furrowed my brow and walked over to Abraham. He towered over me, brooding. **'Hey, I'm Alana. You're Abraham right?** ' I asked. He looked down at me. Suddenly he smiled a large smile, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners. 

**'It's good to finally meet you. Glenn talked about you a lot. We need to get Eugene to Washington and we need someone like you that can keep him healthy. But we'll talk terms later, we need to get out of this godforsaken box.'** He sighed. I nodded slowly and walked away. Daryl was in the corner, looking through one of the cracks. 

**'Hey. You alright?'** I asked him.

**'I gotta be. You?'** He asked. I nodded. There was not much to do so I started on finding a way to break out. But then I remembered something. **'Has anyone in here seen Judith or Tyreese or Carol?'** I asked looking around. Everyone shook their head. I wondered if they had made it out of the prison. This worried me a lot. 

Hours later, there was finally movement from outside, we all moved and got ready nearby the door to attack anyone from the outside, but the door never opened. Instead, the ceiling opened and something dropped inside. It was small and had a small timer on it. A bomb. **'Get away from it!'** Abraham's voice boomed. But it was too late, it exploded with white gas, and I couldn't breathe. It filled my lungs and I fell to the ground. Everything went dark. 

I woke up, my face on the cold metal floor. I was still in the container, but something felt different about it. I got up. I was the only one awake. I realized that it looked more empty in here. Then I noticed. Daryl was gone. And Rick, and Glenn and Bob. 'Shit.' I whispered. Daryl was gone. He was gone. He couldn't have died though, could he? I stepped over to Sasha and shook her until she woke up. And then I woke up everyone. They noticed who was gone and we tried even harder to break out this time but it was no use. We weren't getting out. I slumped down against the wall with an exasperated sigh. Eugene sat down next to me. **'Hello.'** He said. I looked at him. 

**'You're the one that's supposed to save the world, right?** ' I spoke, trying hard not to show my skepticism. He nodded hesitantly. Something seemed off about him, but then again, lots of things seemed off right now. 

Eventually, I heard bangs and crashes and shouts coming from the outside. Everyone stood up, suddenly alert. **'What was that?'** Tara asked.

**'We don't know. We have to get out. It's highly likely they in some sort of shit. We could use-'** Eugene started some sort of lengthened explanation of how we could get out but he was shushed by everyone in the room. I pushed against the door with all my strength. It didn't budge. I kept pushing until it started to open and I fell out with a gasp. Someone caught me though. I recognized the material of his shirt. **'Daryl?'** I looked up. He looked as if he had just been through something terrible. 'Is everything ok?' I asked him, worried. 

**'We have to get out of here.'** He whispered.


	26. Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will they make it out of Terminus?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one is heavily leading up to Season 5. This is the finale of Season 4 and the next season will have a whole load of action. It's going to probably be the longest season I have ever done. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 7 (Season 4)- Burn

Daryl looked at me, nerves showing. **'They're eating other people. We have to get out of here.'** He told me. I nodded, determined to keep him and everyone else safe. There was a loud explosion from behind me, I looked and someone had shot one of the oil tanks. I had no time to look to see who it was, as there was a massive amount of walkers heading our way. **'Everybody run to the trees!'** Rick shouted.

We followed him until we were fully hidden from anyone. We stood there next to a cabin. Ready to take down anything that was inside. However, the weapons must have been lost in the forest. Before we could enter the cabin, there was a rustle from the trees and Carol appeared, covered in blood and holding a sniper, along with a large bag with the weapons in. Daryl ran over and embraced her. I smiled. I ran over too. **'Carol! I thought you were dead!'** I cried. She smiled and handed me the weapons bag, I laid it down on the floor and handed out everyone's weapons back to them. Mine were at the bottom. I put my gun and knife away but kept the sword out. We closed in the cabin but watched as Carol just walked straight in confidently. Confused, we followed her.

Tyreese was sitting in there holding Judith in his arms. Rick gasped and ran over, taking his baby in his hands. Sasha hugged her brother tightly. 

After everyone had been reunited, we set about finding somewhere to go. **'We should go to Washington.'** Abraham said, determined. Daryl scowled at him.

**'No. We should go after Beth.'** Daryl said menacingly. Abraham walked over to Daryl as if a fight was about to break out but I swiftly stood in between them, bringing them back to the conversation at hand. 

**'How about we go and find Beth, then go to Washington?'** Rick suggested. Everyone nodded. So that was the plan. 

We started walking but was interrupted by a loud scream. We ran over and saw a man wearing a vicar's collar, scrambling up onto the rock as three walkers reached for his feet. He was sweating profusely. I killed all of the walkers with one swipe of my sword and we continued to walk over to him. He got off the rock, looking nauseous. 'Who are you?' Rick asked, suspiciously. The vicar held up a finger, as if to say ' **Wait.'** and proceeded to throw up. I looked away in disgust. When I heard him stand up straight, I looked back. 

**'My name is Father Gabriel. Thank you for helping.'** He was incredibly nervous. 

**'Where do you come from? Do you have any weapons? Have you killed anyone?'** Rick bombarded him with questions. Gabriel looked at him confused and overwhelmed. 

**'I live in a church not far from here. I have food. I don't have weapons.'** He explained. This last sentence raised a few eyebrows. 

**'You're out here, alone and with no weapons?'** Daryl asked incredulously. 

Gabriel nodded. **'The only thing I need is to trust in God.'**

**'That won't help you against walkers.'** Daryl replied. 

**'Well, I prayed for someone to come and help me, and look what happened.'** Gabriel replied with a smile. 

We followed Gabriel back to his church. When we made it, the first thing I noticed was how there was no protection on the outside. I wasn't the only one thinking it either. 

**'How have you survived this long?'** Sasha said, surprised by the lack of security in the church. Gabriel chuckled and led us inside. There were no walkers inside, only a beautiful stained glass window, and the usual stuff you would find in a church. 

**'We should stay here for the night. But don't get comfortable.'** Rick said. Everyone nodded.

It was night time, and I walked outside to see Daryl sitting on the steps. I sat next to him and rested my head on his shoulder. **'You can't sleep either?'** I asked him.

**'Someone has to watch this place.'** He said looking out into the forest, but I knew he was only on watch because he couldn't sleep. 

**'We should go and find some more water. Abraham said that there was some extra in a car when he searched it.'** I explained getting up. Daryl nodded and picked up his shotgun. We walked down the dark road until we made it to a car that had its boot open. Inside were 3 large bottles of water. I picked one and Daryl picked up two. We were about to walk back when a car came zooming past us. It had a white cross on its boot. Daryl dropped the water and got in the car. **'Get in!'** He shouted. I followed him, getting on the passenger's side **. 'Where are we going?'** He kicked the car into gear and started to speed down the road after the car. 

**'To get Beth.'**


	27. Back Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Alana go after the people that have taken Beth. What will they find?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the start of season 5. There will be the usually amount of chapters but the chapters will be longer.   
> I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 5) - Back Home

It was dark, so I could hardly see anything in the car. Daryl was driving, I realized I had never seen him drive a car before. It was strange. 

I could just about make out the tracks of the car we were chasing on the road and realized where we heading. **'Daryl? You do realize they're heading into Atlanta, right? Should we not go back and get the rest of the group?'** I asked him, uncertainty in my voice. 

**'They're all sleeping, and they need to. We can just scout out where she is. We won't go in.'** He said, eyes still on the road. We made it into Atlanta. The large city skyline filled the areas around us, making it hard to see. 

I sighed, nostalgia surrounding us. **'It's been a while.'** I said looking around at the tall buildings. I saw the car stop up ahead by some sort of church. **'What's going on here?'** I asked. Daryl silently stopped the car in some shadows so that we couldn't be seen. Someone got out, and they went into the church, just as they entered, walker started to banging on our car window. **'Daryl, we have to move now. We can't let them see us.'** I said, warning. 

**'It's fine. It's not that loud.'** He whispered. But the walkers continued. Until the silhouette stepped out fo the church and started to look around. Daryl kicked the car into gear and sped down the road. **'Where are we going to go? We need a place for the night.'** He sighed. An idea crossed into my mind.

**'Pull over here.'** I said, Daryl frowned but pulled over. I got my bag from the back of the car and pulled out my sword. I walked into the large building. Daryl followed me. It looked so abandoned. There were walkers bodies stinking up the ground floor, but as we climbed the stairs, the smell got less pungent. Until finally we made it to my apartment. I smiled at the familiar sight of my door. I kicked it open and saw that no one had entered it since it all began. It was beautiful. It was still the same small studio apartment that had it been, but now it had a new sense of luxury added to it. **'This place is yours?'** Daryl asked, closing the door behind him and scouting the place out for walkers. I nodded. I laid my bag down on my desk and looked at the textbooks I had been using to study. 

Daryl came over and lent his crossbow against the desk, picking up the picture that sat on my desk. He smiled. It was a picture of Merle, Daryl, and I. They were like my second family. I looked rough because I had been living on the streets but Daryl also looked rough, so that made two of us. It was the last day we had spent together since I was taken away by foster mother. **'I never forgot either of you, you know?'** I told him, wrapping my arms around his waist, the stars outside lighting up the room. He nodded appreciatively and put the picture down. I walked over to the small kitchen area and opened the cupboards. Daryl helped me look. **'Why do you have no meat?'** He asked, picking up all of the water bottles and putting them in my bag. I put cans of soup in my bag too. 

**'I was vegetarian before all this happened. I always thought that I would stay that way no matter what happened, and I have only had one piece of meat in the apocalypse. Cool, right?'** I laughed. Daryl raised an eyebrow. I walked over to my wardrobe and took out the clothes that I had, in case we did find a home in the future and I didn't want to look like I had just been dragged through bush after bush. I felt Daryl approach me from behind, I turned, not realizing how close he was. I gasped as he smiled. 

**'We have some time to rest. And this is a safe apartment. No one can get us from up here.'** I whispered, smiling. He smiled and started to kiss my neck, his fingers tracing circles on my arms. Then things started to get more heated. He started to lower his hands further and further down, I laughed and wrapped my legs around his waist. I swear I saw the stars spin that night. 

We woke up in my bed, which was strange because I never thought that I would sleep in my own bed again, let alone with Daryl, who I never thought I would see again. I smiled when I saw that he was still sleeping peacefully. I got up and put on some new clean clothes. I walked over to my bag and drank a little bit of water, before going over to my bathroom and using my toiletries. I packed those up in my bag when I was done too. Once Daryl had woken up and got ready, we started to leave, but then I remembered something. **'Wait!'** I said, quickly running over to my desk and putting the picture and textbook in my bag, this time leaving my phone that I no longer needed on my desk. This could be the last time I would ever see this place again. I smiled, thinking about all of the memories and a tear came to my eye as I looked at it one last time. But then I looked at Daryl and thought about all of the memories that we had together and the amount that we could still make. I beamed a massive smile and shut the door. I walked in front of Daryl down the stairs.

Suddenly, I was met at gunpoint unexpectedly. Daryl crashed into me from behind, not realizing I had stopped. He raised his crossbow at the man that was holding the gun at me. **'Don't move.'** Daryl growled. The boy lowered his gun nervously and started muttering to himself. 

**'They're going to find me. They're going to find me and they're going to take me back. I can't make another noise. Not again.'** He looked as if he had been through a lot of trauma. I raised my hands to show I had no weapons in my hands and slowly approached him. 

**'Woah. Just breathe. Who is going to find you? Where will they take you?'** I asked slowly. He looked up, apparently having forgotten that we were there. 

**'The people. They are taking people to Grady Memorial Hospital. I have a friend there named Beth. I need to go and help her.'** He explained. I felt a lump in my throat.

**'You just said Beth? Blonde hair? Shorter than both of us? Two cuts on her face?'** Daryl asked, obviously getting his hopes up. The boy nodded. Suddenly there was a gunshot in the distance. 

**'I'm so sorry.'** The man suddenly sprinted off. We ran after him, but when we exited the building, he was nowhere to be seen. I looked around, then I saw something. 

**'Over there.'** I pointed to a white van that had a white cross on, it was hanging dangerously off a bridge. Daryl nodded and we ran to it. There were walkers on the other side of the bridge so we had to work quickly. **'Daryl. It doesn't look safe. I think we should leave it.'** I watched in horror as Daryl clambered into it, looking around on the inside. It started to creak, precariously still hanging in there. But then I heard walkers approach from behind me. I turned around and saw a large hoard approaching. There were too many to fight off alone. Daryl looked up and saw this too.

**'Get in, get to the front of the van!'** He shouted I frowned but climbed into the vans passenger seat. I could see the ground meters below, fear filling in my chest. Daryl touched my hand. **'It's ok, we will survive a fall like this. It's ok.'** I nodded. Then I felt the tremors as walkers started to push against the back of the van. Then the van slipped and started to fall. 

I let out a shriek as I watched the ground start to reach out to us. Then we met it. The van landed the right way up, something from the back of the van cut my cheek. We sat there catching our breaths, listening to the thuds as the walkers above fell to the death on top of the van. Daryl looked over to me, he looked fine, just a little shaken up. He looked worried when he saw me. 

**'I'm fine. It's just a little cut.'** But Daryl wasn't looking at my face, he was looking at my leg. I looked down and saw my knife sticking into my leg. It was the leg that had a prosthetic on, and there was an area where I couldn't feel anything. I gasped, then assessed the damage. 

**'It's ok. I just need to apply pressure and it'll be all good.'** I smiled at him reassuringly. He frowned. 

**'I should have found a better way down.'** Daryl sighed. 

**'No way! That was awesome.'** I laughed, getting a bit of tissue and yanking out the knife, I slid the tissue under my pants and on top of the wound so that pressure would be applied. I would fix the wound was we were back at the church. I got the map out of my bag and laid it down in front of us. My eyes scanned for Grady Memorial Hospital. It wasn't on there. 

Daryl and I started our long journey through Atlanta, heading back to the church, but 5 minutes into the walk, I saw the man from before waving to us, from an old abandoned building. We ran over. He held his hands up as if to say he wasn't going to shoot us. Daryl hesitantly lowered his crossbow. **'You two know Beth? I'll show you to her. We can help get her out.'** He whispered. But then something dawned on me. I had dropped my knife running over to him. I checked the road quickly but Daryl stopped me. 

**'Where are you going?'** He asked. 

**'I'm just going to get my knife. It's ok I'll be back in a sec.'** I reassured him. He nodded. I stepped back into the road, watching as they both looked at me nervously. I turned around and started to run for my knife. But something collided with me. It was rock solid and sent me hurtling to the ground. I heard some shuffles from where Daryl was but then I looked and saw that it was a van. Then a man's knuckle met my face, sending me into darkness. 

I was being kidnapped. 


	28. Grady Memorial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Alana survive the hit?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one is going to be mainly dialogue and not a lot of action, but the next chapter will have more action I promise. I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 2 (Season 5)- Grady Memorial

I was drifting in and out of consciousness. I felt the rumble of an engine beneath me. Something sharp inserting itself into my arm. Then it was black. I then woke up being moved on some sort of stretcher, I saw walkers but then I blacked out again. I couldn't feel anything. How much damage had the crash caused? 

My eyes felt heavy, but I knew I was awake. It was strange, as I couldn't move but I could hear what was going on. I was paralyzed. **'She isn't going to make it. She was in terrible shape when you found her. We shouldn't waste materials on her. Just pull the plug.'** I heard someone say. I wanted to scream or shout but when I tried to speak, nothing happened. Someone approached me, I was expecting to lose consciousness as they pulled me off life support. But I just heard them shuffle and then someone crying, I heard the clink of glasses, as if someone was drinking alcohol. I was still alive though. I needed to fight my way out of this hell.

Suddenly, I felt something start to drip into my veins. It felt cold and strange. It started to kick my body into high gear and I felt my self do the familiar seizing up, much as I did back at the prison. I knew from my studying that this meant my body was adjusting the medicine. I was being saved. 

Once I could finally find the strength within me to open my eyes, I did. At first, a bright light shone brightly, making my eyes hurt. But then I started to see the area around me. There was an IV next to me, and various tubes sticking out of my arms and hands. There was also a wheelchair in the corner of the room and a small bottle of pills. I suddenly realized where I was. Grady Memorial Hospital. I hadn't noticed someone standing in the corner of the room. 

They approached, stepping into the light. Beth. Her eyes seemed tired and she had two cuts, that had been stitched up, on her face. She wore the same small familiar smile that she had on the farm before everything went down. **'Hey.'** She said quietly. I smiled. **'You were out for a while. I gave you some medicine so you should be starting to recover. Since you don't have the same amount of blood supply as everyone else, because you're, um, you're leg, I had to also give you some extra iron. Are you feeling ok?'** She explained, I heard a little bit of Hershel in her voice, which made me smile even more. 

**'I'm ok.** ' I croaked. She sat down on the bed next to me as I pulled myself up into a sitting position. **'Did you see Daryl?'** I asked her. She shook her head. 

' **Apparently you met Noah. Is he ok?'** She asked, suddenly nervous. 

**'Noah? Oh, the guy that almost shot me in the head. Yeah, he's ok. Did these people kidnap you?'** I asked, looking around for my bag.

**'It's complicated. You're bags over there on the table. Also, your clothes have been washed, they're next to your bag. You should get dressed, and get ready for inspection.'** She said starting to get up. 

**'Inspection? What is this? Camp?'** I laughed. She sighed and walked out of the room. I checked to make sure that it was safe to pull out the injections in my arms and hands, and then stood up. I was still a little wobbly, but I managed to gain balance using my prosthetic. I limped over to my clothes and stepped out of the hospital gown. Pulling my clothes on, I walked over to the mirror. My hair was so long, it reached to just above my butt. I would have to cut it soon. I looked around for scissors, then when I found them on a table, I start to cut my hair. I didn't want it too short, so I cut it until it was just long enough to tough the middle of my back. I then checked my bag to make sure that I still had everything. I noticed that I still had my weapons, which was strange. I put my holsters on and slid my gun, knife, and sword into them. I then slung the bag over my shoulder. The door opened, this made me jump.

A man that had a stethoscope around his neck walked in. **'Going so soon? I need to give you a check-up before you can leave.'** He said in a tired voice. I carefully made sure I put my bag on the table but kept my weapons with me, in case. He started to check my vitals and my joints to make sure everything was ok. **'Wow. You have recovered surprisingly faster than I thought you would. Especially considering the fact that you only have on foot.'** He saw the look on my face and started to finish up. **'Ok, you're good to go. You need to talk to Dawn. She'll give you a job.'** He said heading to the door.

**'A job? No, I want to leave. I want to leave with Beth. Is that an option?'** I asked, starting to get suspicious. He shook his head slightly before exiting the room. , Picking up my bag again, I reached for the door handle. When I opened it, I was met with a strange scene. There were people wearing hospital gowns, but they looked like they were cleaning the halls. There were people wearing police uniforms holding guns and eyeing me suspiciously. I saw Beth standing, watching me carefully, from the corner. She looked like she was mopping the floor. **'What is this place?'** I whispered, to no one in particular.

**'Grady Memorial welcomes you. Hello, I'm Dawn. I run this place. I hope you're not thinking of leaving, you seem like a good asset to have on our team.'** I watched a relatively short woman with pulled-back hair approach me confidently. 

**'I'm sorry, but I'm getting vibes from this place that tell me I'm not allowed to leave.'** I told her, a note of warning in my voice. She noticed this but replied with a condescending smile. 

**'You catch on quickly. Now, I appreciate you have other duties but you are now owned by Grady Memorial. And that means you work for us. I hate to be the bad cop. Get it?** ' She laughed. I just scowled back at her. She was interrupted by a crash coming from down the corridor. I started to pull out my sword but she raised a hand and said something into her radio. 3 or 4 cops started to run down the corridor in that direction. I motioned for Beth to follow me as I followed them. Once I had turned the corner I saw my group standing on the other end of the corridor. Daryl's face looked torn but when he saw Beth and me, his face lightened. 


	29. Funerals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group has found the hospital but who will make it out alive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one will have 50/50 action and dialogue. But it is going to be quite a heavy chapter to write so it might take more than a day to write, I'm not sure. I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 3 (Season 5)- Funerals

I stood there, shock filling me as I saw Daryl and the rest of the group. Noah was there with them too. I realized that Maggie, Glenn, Eugene, Rosita, Tara, and Abraham weren't there though, which was strange. And where was Bob? 

Rick stepped forward, looking like a human mud pile compared to everyone from the hospital. I smiled. He raised his hands and spoke, **' Listen. We only want Beth and Alana. Then we can go. No one has to die.'**

Dawn searched them with her eyes. **'Where are my cops?** ' She asked noticing a loss of her own. 

**'Some of them were eaten by walkers but we have two here. So ours for yours.'** He explained. It was a trade. Dawn nodded.

' **Ok, hand one of my over and I'll send one of yours.'** She whispered. Something didn't feel right about this but Rick nodded and walked over to us with one of the cops. Dawn nodded to the cop and walked me over to the group. I hugged Daryl. **'Are you ok?'** He looked at me concerned. I nodded. We turned back to Beth. 

**'Now Beth.'** Rick said, getting the other cop ready. He walked down with the cop and then walked back to the group, waiting expectantly. Something changed on Dawn's face. But then it switched back and she nodded, Beth walked over to the group. She smiled a huge smile at Daryl but the smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared when she heard what Dawn said next. **'But I want Noah.'** Silence filled the room. Beth turned to face Dawn, with a look of either resignation or pure anger on her face. 

**'No. That wasn't the deal. He is one of ours.'** Rick started to say but Noah held up a hand. 

**'No, it's ok. I will go back.'** He started to walk over to Dawn but Beth placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping her eyes on Dawn. 

**'You know, what? I get it now.'** Beth said, confidently. She walked over to Dawn and stabbed her in the shoulder with a pair of scissors. Suddenly time seemed to slow down. A look of shock appeared on Dawn's face and she pointed the gun up to Beth's head. The gunshot filled the room. Beth dropped to the floor. I saw in my peripheral vision as Daryl lifted his gun and shot Dawn in the head. I came back to reality and placed my hand on Daryl's shoulder to stop him from murdering everyone in the room. Tears streamed down everyone's faces. He walked over to Beth's body and picked her up in his arms. Walking out. Everyone followed him, stricken with grief. When we reached outside, I saw that Maggie and the rest of them were waiting eagerly outside. But when I walked out of Daryl's way so that they could see Beth, Maggie dropped to the floor with a painful scream. Everyone felt it. 

Beth was gone. We would never get to see her smile, hear her sing, watch as she cares for baby Judith. She was gone. 

After we had reached the church, back with Gabriel, Michonne, Carl, and Judith, Gabriel started to dig a grave for Beth. I noticed that there was an extra grave so I walked over to it. Wiping away the tears, I saw that Bob's name had been scratched into its stone. I gasped, looking around for Sasha. She was sitting on the steps in a tight hug with her brother Tyreese. I wouldn't interrupt. I walked over to Daryl, who was leaning against a tree. I didn't need to ask if he was ok because I could already see that he wasn't. I leaned my head against his. We didn't need to talk, as I knew what he was thinking about, and there wasn't much to say other than how lost everyone felt, and that would just add to the depressing atmosphere even more. I watched as Gabriel continued to dig the grave. When he was done, everyone gathered around the grave and watched as Daryl carefully lowered Beth into the grave. As Rick started to cover up the grave, Gabriel got out his bible and began to read a passage from it. Maggie had requested that he read a specific bible passage, that Hershel had read to them at bedtime. Tears spilled over onto my cheeks as I remembered everything Beth and I had been through together. She was strong, she had saved me from losing hope in the prison and she always knew how to stop Judith from crying. I laid a flower down on her grave and then left the graveyard so that Maggie could privately pay her respects to her little sister. 

I looked around for Daryl, but I couldn't see him outside. I noticed how it was starting to get dark outside so I made my way into the church, Daryl must have been there already. Sure enough, he was sitting at the back of the church in a dark corner, with two bottles of water. He looked up when I came in, revealing his reddened eyes from crying. I walked over to him, and sat down. **'Hey.'** I whispered.

**'Hey.'** He replied gruffly. I saw everyone start to make their way inside. Rick stood at the front of the church and announced, **'We should all get some sleep. It's been a tough couple of days.'** He announced. I looked at Daryl, we were both tired so I found a spare cushion and another, then put them down at the back of the church. I took my bag off and my gun and sword and laid them beside me before lying down. I always slept with a knife hidden in my shoe, just in case. Daryl did the same. We lay down, looking at each other. I gave him a sad smile and he kissed my forehead. I stroked his hair before closing my eyes. 

I heard the familiar click of a gun, and without needing to open my eyes I reached for my knife. **'Ah. No, if you touch that weapon then I'll put a bullet through your brain.'** I opened my eyes and saw one of the men from Terminus aiming his gun at my forehead. I raised my hands and looked over to Daryl. He was looking at the man with a dangerous warning. His crossbow wasn't far from him. I looked around. I could see that the rest of them (4) were holding their gun up at the rest of the group, that had all gone to sleep at the front of the church. 

The main guy was talking specifically to Rick and Carol **. 'You know, you killed my family with that fire and those walkers. So of course, I will have to do the same to yours, it's simple really. And yes, I did kill your guy. What was his name?'** The man said with an almost joking tone. 

Sasha scowled at him, **' Bob.'** She growled. 

I looked over at Daryl and nodded at him. We had planned for this sort of situation. I quickly pulled out the knife from my shoe and slid it, swiftly, into the man at the back of the church. Only Rick noticed at the front of the church but he didn't say anything. Daryl picked up his crossbow and started to slowly crawl over to the front of the church. I picked up my sword and knife and went to the other side of the church. **'Rick? Are we boring you? Is there something else you're looking-'** The man couldn't finish his sentence as I put a bullet in his brain. Daryl shot 2 of them in the head as I decapitated the last one with my sword. The blood sprayed all over me, but I calmly slid my weapons back into their holster and walked over to the group. 

**'Is everyone ok?'** I asked, look around at the group and helping them up off their knees. There were nods from everyone apart from Maggie, who was still grieving. They had told me that Eugene was lying about him knowing the cure when we were walking back to the church. Abraham had gone completely crazy but he had almost recovered by now. 

**'We can't stay here. Walkers would have heard the gunshot. Plus, we are running out of food. We only have about a day of rations left. Any ideas of where to go?'** Rick asked, his beard was very bushy and splattered with walker blood. I had blood splotches over my face and clothes and Daryl had a mix of dirt and blood. The rest of the group looked about ready to kill someone, so we didn't look exactly as if w were the nicest people to cross. I shook my head to Rick's question, as did everyone else. We had nowhere to go. Rick nodded understanding and then sighed. **'We have to go on the road then. We should head away from the city, a lot of the walkers are coming from there. There is also more of a chance of finding food away from Atlanta,'**

**'We can't wait until morning. We leave now.'** He ordered. 


	30. Miss You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group goes on the road with hardly any food and water left. Will they survive on their own?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this one is more dialogue more than action but there is still some action. I'm not sure what to put in notes anymore, so I hope you are all well and if you are reading this in 2020 then I hope you are all dealing with quarantine well. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 4 (Season 5)- Miss Y ou

We had run out of food a while ago. Noah had said that he knew where we could go, and that was to a place, close to Virginia. So that was where we were headed. 

My foot was aching because I always automatically rest all of my weight on my actual foot and not the prosthetic one. I'm not sure why I did that but I knew that it wasn't doing me any good. The heat wasn't helping the thirst and the thirst just made me even more hungry. I had given up trying to be optimistic when we had run out of food. My stomach pains had no break now. But there was a slither of me left, that wanted to carry on, if not for me then for Daryl. 

When we were at the place, only a few of us went into the neighborhood. Rick, Tyreese, Michonne, Noah, and I, as we were the only ones up to it. 

When we entered the neighborhood, we were greeted by silence. **'It's like a ghost town.'** I thought aloud. Noah started to run. His family lived here. Or the did anyway. 

**'Hey!'** We ran after him but stopped when he stopped. Something was wrong. He fell to his knees, he was crying. I approached him slowly, but when I saw what he was crying about, I gasped. There was a man on the ground that had a gunshot wound to the head. He looked exactly like Noah but older. **'Your dad.'** I whispered. Noah nodded and Tyreese knelt beside him and started to comfort him. I walked back over to Rick and Michonne. 

**'There's no one here. But we can still look for supplies.'** Michonne suggested. I nodded. Rick looked towards Tyreese and Noah. 

**'Tyreese, you stay with Noah. We are just gonna get some supplies. Do not move from this spot.'** Rick announced. I ran over to a nearby house and pulled out my sword ready for any walkers. There were only a couple outside and I got rid of them. There was nothing outside, so I kicked open the front door and walked in. It stank terribly. I covered my nose and mouth with my arm and walked in slowly. A walker was hanging from a ceiling fan, it had a rope around its neck and a fallen chair by its feet. Suicide. I sighed and put the walker out of its misery. I walked over to the kitchen. There were only a couple of cans that hadn't gone out of date. I put them in my bag and looked for some water. There was one bottle. I checked the tap but it didn't work. Of course. I searched the house, but there was nothing of use there.

When I made my way back to the meeting point, I looked for Tyreese and Noah but they weren't there. I saw Rick and Michonne talking in the gardens of one of the houses and then I saw Noah running towards me. He looked extremely frightened. He was shouting something. I started to jog over to him. **'Tyreese has been bit!'** He shouted. My eyes widened and I shouted for Rick and Michonne before running over to the house that Tyreese was in. I walked into the room and found a dead walker child on the floor. A trail of blood led under a desk and I saw Tyreese under it. He looked ghastly pale and his wrist was bleeding. I knelt beside him and lifted his wrist so I could see it. Rick and Michonne entered the room behind me. **'We have to cut off. It's his best chance.'** I sighed. Michonne nodded and Rick held out Tyreese's arm. Michonne cut it with one of her swords. Tyreese, let out a strange tired squeak before passing out. I found a nearby shirt and tied it tightly around his arm. I didn't have the right equipment to stitch it all up **. 'We just have to wait. We should take him back to Sasha, in case.** ' I explained. Rick nodded and we all carried him back into the car we had used to get there. It was low and gas and I feared it didn't have many miles left in it. Rick drove and Michonne sat in the passenger seat. I sat next to Tyreese so that I could keep an eye on him. 

15 minutes into the journey home, I saw his chest stop moving. **'Stop the car.'** I shouted to Rick. He pulled the brake and helped pull Tyreese out of the car. I started doing CPR but it wasn't working. After 10 more minutes, I stopped and shook my head. Rick sighed and rose his gun at Tyreese's head so that he wouldn't turn. I blinked away tears and clambered back into the car. **'He's gone.'** I whispered to Michonne and Noah, who were looking at me nervously. Rick got into the driver's seat after quickly digging Tyreese a grave. It was getting dark now, which was dangerous so we sped home. 

Home wasn't much. Just some shelter under a large tree. I saw the group sitting by the side of the road. No one was talking. I got out of the car with a large slam of the door and ran over to Daryl. Bringing him into a tight hug to avoid anyone seeing the visible exhaustion and tears in my eyes. ' **Tyreese is gone?'** Daryl whispered in my ears. **'Tyreese is gone.** ' I confirmed. I heard Sasha sob behind me and felt Daryl sigh. 

Within the next day, we had gone through the rest of the food and drink that we had found at the neighborhood and I was starting to think about eating the walkers and drinking the tears from my eyes. 

I realized that we had been out there for too long. 


	31. Stormy Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will the group die from starvation or will they make it to a safe place?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter has a mix of dialogue and action I hope you enjoy it! :)  
> PS: I am going to do a mid season finale for season 5, so there is going to be like 12 chapters altogether of season 5

Chapter 5 (Season 5 Part 1)- Stormy Night

The pain in my feet had left me, however, they had left with every other feeling in my feet too. It was slightly worrying but I couldn't think much of the rumbling of everyone's stomachs and the burning of throats. Every time we came to a river, we checked if it was clean to drink but it wasn't and we didn't have the right equipment to purify it either. It was like the world was taking away every chance of surviving that we had.

Sasha wasn't dealing with her losses well, she brought over lots of walkers and then tried to take them all by herself, which almost ended up with her getting bit. She was becoming a danger to herself but I felt that that was one of our many problems. 

The sun continued shining until one day, it hid away. I fell to the ground, my hunger and exhaustion catching up with me. Daryl turned around and helped me back up and put my arm over his shoulder. I hadn't eaten since being in Atlanta with Daryl as I gave my rations to Carl and Judith, so I was the first to start feeling the consequences. Just as I was about to pass out, the skies opened up and it started to rain. Everyone stopped and then it kicked in. Freshwater was falling from the sky. There were laughs and happy shouts as everyone opened their mouths toward the sky. I felt the rain hit the back of my throat and it felt o good. But then it started to rain harder and harder. I had to stop drinking the water as it was starting to bucket down and I would choke. Thunder filled the air and a lightning bolt crashed down in front of us, leaving a scorch mark on the road. 'Run!' Rick shouted. We ran into the forest. My exhaustion was running low but Daryl picked me up so that I didn't lose any more of my energy. 

**'Daryl, there is a hoard of walkers behind us.'** I croaked. Looking behind the group, I watched in horror as lots and lots of walkers limped behind us, reaching out for us like food. Daryl shouted to the others and then suddenly, an old rickety looking barn came into view. It was abandoned, and small but it looked large enough for us. We ran in and Daryl carefully laid me down on the ground and started to help everyone push against the door. The walkers were on the other side of it and they were using their strength, we were only running on fumes. I slowly got up and limped over to push against the door, once everyone had pushed hard enough, I pulled over the iron hatch on the door and collapsed to the ground. Everyone gasped for breath and sat at the other end of the barn. Daryl helped me sit down with the rest of them while he went to the door to keep watch. My eyelids were getting heavy. Every time I blinked, it got harder to open my eyes again. I looked at Rick, who was watching me concerned. **'Alana?'** I heard him say distantly, but then I passed out. 

When I woke up, I could still hear the thunder outside. I was surprised this small hut had survived such a storm. Everyone was asleep, and I noticed that they had moved around. I was now closer to the center of the barn and Carol and Maggie were sleeping very close to me. I looked around and saw that Daryl had fallen asleep on watch. I laughed to myself, but realizing that I was still exhausted, I crawled, using only my arms over to him. I pushed him carefully off the wall and then leaned against the wall, I rested his head carefully in my lap and went on watch. 

Daryl was sleeping very deeply, it made me smile. I stroked his hair. I kept switching my gaze to the door and back to my people before I passed out again. 

I woke up, being shaken by someone vigorously. Someone was shouting in my ear. I opened my ears carefully and saw Carol looming over me. **'You were out for a long time. We have food. And water! Come on!'** I noticed that Daryl had moved from my lap and was now standing by the door eating an apple, when he saw me he smiled at me. Carol helped me up and gave me a peeled orange and a bottle of water. I devoured them both in under seconds and I heard Rick laugh from nearby. I smiled, but then I realized something. 'Wait. Where did these come from?' I looked around and saw a new man tied to one of the beams of the barn. 

**'That's Aaron. He gave us the food.'** Carol explained. 

**'Why is he tied up?'** I asked confused, I picked up an apple and began to bite down on it. 

**'He is talking about something. A place where we can go. But we have all learned we cannot trust people.'** Rick said, coming into view. 

**'Please, just let me go, I will leave and you don't have to come to Alexandria.'** Aaron pleaded. I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I looked towards Rick who was busy helping Judith eat some apple sauce.

**'Rick, can we not just check it out? We don't have anything to lose anymore.** ' I tried to persuade him and he looked up at me.

**'Is this the way everyone thinks?'** Rick looked around. There were nods from everyone in the room.

**'Fine. We're going to Alexandria then.'**


	32. Long Way Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group head to Alexandria, what will they find there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the midseason finale, I am going to only post one chapter today so that I can work on planning the rest of season 5. This one has a mix of action and dialogue, I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 5 Part 1)- Long Way Home 

Everyone's hopes were high, Aaron had shown us pictures of Alexandria before Rick had knocked him. However, I got vibes from Aaron that he now did not want our group living with him. Rick created a plan of how we were going to make our way to Alexandria. We had one large car and a camper and Aaron's car. 

Rick would drive Aaron's car with Glenn, Aaron, and Michonne at the front. I would drive the large car with Daryl, Noah, Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Tara, and Sasha. Maggie would drive the camper with Carl, Judith, Gabriel, and Carol. We siphoned a little bit of fuel from Aaron's car before setting off. It was cramped in the car I was driving. 

My bag was under my legs and my weapons were painfully digging into my back, I could see in the mirror that Abraham was a well-built man, and he was squishing Rosita into the corner of the car, Eugene was daydreaming out of the window, Noah was at the back of the car looking tired, Sasha and Tara were talking and Daryl was at the front of the car next to me smiling at the commotion from behind us. I followed Rick's car in front of us and every 5 minutes, checked on Maggie behind us. **'It's like a weird family, where the children have grown very quickly.'** I laughed, looking into the mirror at everyone in the car doing separate things. Daryl smiled and nodded. 

**'How are you holding up?'** I asked Daryl, suddenly concerned. He grunted, which I knew meant he wasn't ok. I took one hand off the wheel and touched his hand. ' **This could be the place that we can finally rest together.'** I comforted him. But suddenly it went silent behind me, I looked around at them all. They were all looking forward. I span around and jolted the car to a stop when I noticed Rick had stopped. 

**'I'll check it out.'** I heard Noah say from the back of the car. He sounded depressed, he picked up his gun and climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind him. I looked over at Sasha, she nodded. 

**'I'll make sure he's ok.'** She sighed, getting out of the car. 

'Probably just a pack of walkers.' Abraham said Rosita was still fighting for space in the car. I switched my gaze from Rick's car to Maggie, Carol was getting out of the camper to look around, but she didn't even touch the ground before getting back in. I span around and saw Sasha running towards us. Shouting something. 

**'Walkers! Walkers!'** She shouted, jumping into the car and slamming the door. 

**'Where's Noah?'** I asked. She looked down and shook her head. He was gone, I sighed and turned on my walkie talkie to Rick's channel. 

**'Rick, we've lost Noah. How bad is it?'** I asked him. There was static until his voice filled the car. 

**'Noah? He's coming over to your car now. We just going to speed through the hoard of walkers, get ready, I'll tell Maggie now.'** He replied. I looked over at Daryl. Noah was making his way back to the car. But then I saw him. He jumped against my window making me shriek. He had blood trickling down from his head and his neck was severely deformed. 

**'Let me in!'** He was shouting. I froze. Walkers came up from behind him and pulled him down away from the window and then the screams stopped. I was speechless from horror. The entire car was speechless. Sasha broke the silence. **'You couldn't have let him in. He was bit already. Look, we've got to move now anyway.'** She sighed, breathless. I slowly turned my head to Rick's car and noticed he was starting to move. All of a sudden, he a sped off into a cloud of red through the walkers. I pushed down hard on the accelerator and we sped through the walkers. Blood splattered the window until I could no longer see, it made the entire car turn a ghastly shade of red. **'When do I stop?** ' I shouted, the window wipers weren't working. 

**'Turn to the right a bit!'** I saw that Eugene was looking out of his window, which wasn't as covered like the others. I gasped and then turned to the right a bit. The sound of the thuds from the walkers suddenly stopped. **'Ok, you can stop moving. Stop the car, stop the car!'** Tara was now looking out of her window. I pushed down on the brake. The car squeaked to the stop and I sat there regaining my breath. 'Gracious Ignacious.' Abraham had gotten out of the car already and was looking around. I stepped out of the car, shaken. Walker bodies were covering the road and the atmosphere was completely splattered with blood. The wind wipers started to work, splattering me with blood. I looked back from the way we had come and saw Noah's mangled corpse on the floor. 

**'I did that.'** I whispered. 

**'You had no other choice, Alana.'** I heard Daryl's voice from behind me. **'Look.'** He was pointing at something behind me. I heard the slam of car doors and gasps. I turned around and saw an enormous iron gate with bars surrounding it. There was the faint smell of food cooking that made my stomach rumble and I could see the outline of houses and buildings beyond the gate. Aaron ran over to the gate and banged hard. **'Please let me in. I have a new group out here.'** I heard him say. The gate slowly opened and a woman appeared smiling. 

**'Please do come in.'** She said with a kind smile. Rick seemed suspicious but he got into the car and drove it into the gate. Everyone got back into their cars and I drove through the gate. It was beautiful. There were modern houses built like a neighborhood and a garden growing a range of pretty colorful flowers. Someone was walking their dog and an old couple rocking in their chairs on a front porch, admiring the sun. Children were running around playfully and teenagers playing video games indoors. 

**'First things first. If you could just kindly place your weapons in this wheelbarrow for everyone's safety. Don't worry, you can them back at any time, just find Olivia.'** The woman spoke. A woman came over pushing a large wheelbarrow and waited patiently for us to hand over our weapons. Rick hesitated. **'Your safety is just as important as everyone else's here.'** The woman reminded him. Rick nodded and placed his revolver and knife into the wheelbarrow. Then everyone followed. I left the knife in my shoe just in case but I took my sword and gun out of their holsters and carefully placed them in the wheelbarrow. When everyone had finished, the wheelbarrow was overflowing with weapons. I knew that most of us would have a secret weapon hidden somewhere anyway. Olivia sighed at the wheelbarrow and carefully drove it away. **'I would like to talk to every one of you separately. You know, get to know you a little bit. Rick. Why don't I start with you? Everyone else, if you could just wait at your assigned houses.'** The woman smiled, leading Rick away from the rest of us. I kept my eye on where Rick was heading as Aaron led us over to these two amazing houses. One was smaller than the other but looked more homely. **'These are your two houses. If you need anything then you can just find me at our house.'** Aaron smiled and walked off. Everyone walked into the larger house. We would stay together for the first night. 

I walked in, it was very large and there was a sofa and a television. Bookcases filled the room and the wooden floor had a large fluffy carpet at the center of it. After I had found Daryl and me, a place to sleep for the night, and placed my bag carefully down in that area, I stepped back onto the porch. There was a bench there, which I sat on. I watched as Rick came walking back to the house and the woman took various members of my group. It was almost the evening by the time she came to me. **'Alana? Yes, I've heard a lot about you. If you could just follow me please.'** She said walking away from the house. I glanced over at Daryl, who was watching me carefully. He had already had his interview but I was still a bit nervous about what I was being led into. 

I followed her into a large house and up the stairs into what looked like a cozy study. There was a camera in the room in front of a chair. She shut the door behind me. **'I hope you don't mind. I'm just going to record our talk.'** She smiled. I nodded slowly, sitting down on the chair in front of the camera. I noticed how I was still covered in dried walker blood and mud. **'My name is Deanna. It's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Alexandria! You are the last person I need to interview.'** Deanna explained. I nodded, searching around the room for anything that could hurt or kill me. She noticed this. 

**'You know, every single member of your group thought I was somehow going to harm them in this interview. But I'm not. I can see that you are a tight-knit group, am I correct?'** She asked me, I focused on the questions she was asking me. 

**'Yes, we are like family. Well, we are family.'** I explained. She nodded.

**'I can see that. Now, I also see that you are wearing a wedding ring, and it looks amazing I must say. My husband doesn't know how to make a ring out of wood, that's for sure. And I am going to guess that Daryl is your husband, yes?'** She asked with a smile. 

**'He is. And I love him and if anything happens to him I-'** She raised her finger to stop me. She laughed a little.

**'Daryl said the same thing about you. I can promise that nothing will happen to either of you while you are at Alexandria you are both perfectly safe. Now I know that you are close to Daryl, who I must say is an intriguing character, but you are also very close to the rest of your group. I admire that. You would die for each other.'** She sighed with amazement. This made me think of Beth and Noah and Tyreese and everyone else that we had lost. She saw what she had brought up in my mind. 

**'I'm so sorry. Let's change the subject. What did you do before this all happened?'** She brought out a pen and paper. I frowned but explained.

**'I was training to be a veterinary surgeon, and it was the weekend before my finals when this all happened. I met the group and we met Maggie's family along the way at this farm. Hershel, Maggie's father, was a veterinary surgeon and together we worked out how to convert our experience on animals into humans. So I like to think I'm a surgeon in general now.'** I finished. 

' **Ah yes, I can see it now. But you also seem like a fighter. A hunter. A lot like Daryl. I feel like if I were to give you a full-time job at our infirmary, you wouldn't be happy.'** She looked at me inquisitively. 

I thought about it then answered, **' No. I want to help people, obviously, but I also want to spend time with Daryl and be out in the forest and on runs. I don't want to stay inside all the time.'** I explained. Deana nodded. 

**'Are there any other things you would like to tell me before we finish?'** She asked. 

**'Yes. I know we may seem dangerous, by all of the blood and the mud and the weapons. But we are good people. We were just out there for too long. If Aaron hadn't found us and given us food, we would have died. We have lost a lot. We were a large group but we have lost many people, Sasha and Maggie recently lost siblings and on the way here we lost Noah. If anything happens to our group, all of us will lose it. Please, give us a chance, and if someone breaks you have to understand what we have been through.'** I pleaded. She nodded. 

**'I promise that I will give your group a chance. Now, I have decided what job I am going to give you. As we don't get many injuries here, you don't have to be assigned to a specific job. Just whenever someone is at the infirmary for some reason, you have to be there. You can help train Denise on Wednesdays and all the other days when everyone is safe, you can spend either on runs or with Daryl. Or whatever you want. Does that sound good?'** She asked, putting down the notepad. I grinned.

**'So part-time hunter, part-time surgeon. Sounds amazing.'** I laughed. Deanna smiled and she helped me find my way back to the house. I needed a shower so I headed into the house, I was greeted with a strange sight that made my eyes widen. **'What on-eart-'** I began but Rick interrupted me. 

**'Don't.'** He laughed. He had shaved off his crazy insane beard and now was clean-shaven. He looked strange. I walked over to the living room, where everyone was getting ready for bed. Daryl was sitting on the window sill. He came over to me when he saw me. 

**'You two urgently need showers.'** I heard many people say from the dark room. I laughed. 

**'Come on.'** I led Daryl upstairs and he sighed following me. The shower was large. And it reminded me of something from ages ago. When we stepped into the shower, the floor of the shower turned a browny red color, from all of the blood and dirt coming off us. He wrapped his arms around my waist as I washed both of our hair. **'Doesn't this remind you of the CDC?'** I laughed. He nodded. I turned round to him. He touched my face. 

**'I can see your face. You're still beautiful, even without all of the blood and mud.'** He laughed. I pressed my lips to his. 

This finally felt like home. Where I was meant to be. 


	33. A New Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group tries to settle into Alexandria, but will they find the home they are looking for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the beginning of the second half of season 5, I will probably be splitting the seasons into two halves from now on, as I can fit more action and plot into a season this way. I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 7 (Season 5 Part 2)- A New Day

I woke up, in the corner of the large room, everyone in our group was sleeping in the same room for the first night, for safety reasons. And I appeared to be one of the first to wake up, which was unusual. Even Daryl was still fast asleep. I stroked his hair and carefully got up so that I did not disturb anyone from their slumber. I carefully stepped over to the kitchen, where Carol was standing with a mug of coffee. I smiled at her, then poured myself a cup too. **'Good Morning.** ' Carol whispered. 

**'What job did Deanna give you?'** I asked curiously, getting an apple. 

**'Well, I'm going to make cookies and bake for Alexandria.'** She smiled an unusual smile. 

**'What? That's not like you.'** Even right at the beginning, I didn't remember Carol being like this. 

' **I know.'** She laughed. I heard someone coming down the stairs and walked over. I saw Rick coming down the stairs in a police uniform. **'Oh my god. What are you doing?** ' I laughed, accidentally waking up someone. Rick sighed.

**'Deanna gave me another chance. And I'm using it.'** He said walking over to the kitchen and using the leftover hot water in the kettle.

**'We can't take this opportunity for granted, but I still would feel safer if we were allowed to have weapons on us.** ' Carol sighed, heading over to the door of the house. 

**'Where are you going?'** I asked, heading over to the stairs. 

**'I'm going to work.'** She smiled and walked out. I looked back over to the room where everyone was sleeping and saw that whoever had woken up, was now back fast asleep. I smiled at Rick and made my way upstairs. Looking through one of the wardrobes, I found some new clothes, some shorts, a black tank top, and a flannel shirt to go over it. I put them on and once I had finished washing, I headed back downstairs. Rick was looking around the room. He jumped a little when he saw me. 

**'I think we will be able to sleep in our own rooms tonight.'** He smiled. I raised my eyebrows and nodded, picking up my bags and moving things upstairs to a large room with a king bed, so that Daryl and I could have a cozy room to sleep in. I headed out of the house, giving Daryl a quick kiss on the cheek. It was bright and there were people talking. There was supposed to be a welcome party at our house tonight, but I had always hated parties. I pushed that out of my mind and walked over to the infirmary. Today was the first day of helping someone called Denise with her medical skills. I pushed open the door and saw 2 hospital beds and a desk. It was small but I could work with it. It had been a long time since I had been in a clean room like this before and I stood there, motionless, taking it all in. **'Hello. You must be Alana, I'm Denise.'** I heard a voice coming from the corner of the room and I span around. A small woman with blonde hair and glasses was sitting at one of the tables reading a textbook. I smiled and walked over, sitting in front of her at the table. 

**'Hey. So, I'm not really sure what you want me to help you with, Deanna didn't really explain. Do you know?'** I asked curiously. Denise laughed. 

**'Um yeah. It's just going to be about things that can happen outside when you are on runs or an emergency. I've only ever had to deal with a few broken bones and cuts, nothing more.'** She said I could tell she was nervous. 

**'Oh right ok. That makes more sense now. Ok, so why don't we start with gunshots?** ' I explained the start of aiding with gunshots wounds, and before I knew it, it was 5 pm. **'Wow, time flies by. Are you coming to the party tonight?'** I asked, packing up my things and getting up. 

**'Parties aren't really my thing but I'll pop in to chat with some people, you know, show my face and all.'** She laughed, and I nodded understanding being introverted. I made my way out of the infirmary and back to the house. Daryl was lounging on the front porch. 

**'Oh hey.'** He greeted me and I sat down next to him. 

**'Did you know there is going to be a party here tonight?'** I asked. He groaned. 

**'How about we show our faces for what, like 20 minutes and then we can retreat upstairs or outside. Does that sound good?'** I asked, moving a piece of his hair out of his eyes. He smiled. And looked at me in awe. 

**'I love you.'** He whispered. I beamed and kissed him, before getting back up and walking into the house to get some food. I was starving. Daryl followed me, and I realized the house was empty apart from Rick, Carol, Daryl, and me. Carol and Rick were sat on the couch talking. Daryl lounged on one of the chairs joining in the conversation. **'Alana, we need you, can you come over?'** Rick asked looking over at me. I nodded. 

**'Yeah, I'll just get a piece of fruit first, one second.'** I grabbed an orange and then lounged on a chair next to Daryl. 

**'Ok, so do you all know Jesse? Well, I saw her husband Pete hitting her.'** Carol explained. I saw the fire in her eyes and it filled me with fury at the thought of what she had gone through with Ed. 

**'I'm so sorry, it must have been hard for you to see that.'** Rick sighed. 

**'No, that's not the point. I want you to kill Pete.'** She finished. My eyes widened at the bluntness of this sentence. **'If he isn't disposed of, then he'll just continue hurting her and she won't speak up about it. Trust me.'** Carol tried to help her case.

**'I don't know Carol, I mean, I support you and I trust your instincts but we are trying to get a good impression on these people, not kill them.'** Rick looked at her with saddened eyes. 

**'I have a plan. If any of us see it happen, then we can warn him, and if he continues to do it, then we can go from there. Yes?'** I suggested. Everyone nodded. 

I had changed into a small summer dress, which felt weird as I hadn't worn a dress in almost two years and it made me feel strangely pretty, which I wasn't used to. There were many people in the house talking, it was overwhelming. I saw Denise talking to Tara, they seemed like they were enjoying themselves. I noticed Sasha was looking out the window, looking overwhelmed too. Rick was talking to Jesse and I saw Pete watching from the corner. From now on, I would always keep an eye on Pete for both Rick, Jesse, and Carol's sakes. I walked around looking for Daryl but I bumped into Abraham who looked drunk out of his mind. **'Oh hey, Alana. You look nice today, I was just talking to Daryl over there.'** He pointed over to a coats rack, I nodded, suppressing a laugh and led him over to a couch, where he passed out. I was going to walk over to Sasha to see how she was doing but something on the porch caught my eye. 

I stepped out of the house and saw Daryl cleaning his crossbow. He was still dressed the same way he always was but he was a little bit cleaner now. When he saw me his eyes widened, I realized he had never seen me where something like this in his entire life. **'Hey. Are you ok? Did you even go in there?'** I laughed, sitting down on the porch swing next to him. He looked away towards the night time skies. 

**'I went in, but it's my type of thing. Do you still have that throwing knife in your shoe?** ' He asked curiously. I nodded. Suddenly, I heard voices down the side of the house. I silently got up and stepped so that I was in the shadows but I could hear what was being said. Daryl followed me. I saw Gabriel talking to Deanna. 

**'Deanna, you can't trust Rick and his group. They're dangerous, they are a danger to us all, to all of Alexandria. You should tell them to go for the sake of your people.'** Gabriel was saying. I turned my gaze and looked incredulously at Daryl, who looked just about ready to punch Gabriel. I turned back to Deanna. 

**'You don't tell me what's best for my people, and I can tell when people are dangerous or not. Rick and his group are not dangerous, they have just been through a lot and I refuse to throw them out just because you say so. Now go and enjoy the party, I know that's what I am going to do.'** Deanna started to head our way so we ducked into a nearby bush. Sticks grabbed at my dress, but I just wiped them away. 

**'We have to tell Rick, Gabriel can't say stuff like that.** ' I whispered to Daryl. He nodded. 


	34. Music To My Ears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group tries to continue to show their humanity so that Alexandria will welcome them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its been a while, I have just been taking a break for schoolwork and all that stuff. I apologize for the quality of this one its literally 3 am when I am writing this. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 8 (Season 5 Part 2) - Music To My Ears

That night, I had made it a mission not to get drunk so that I would remember in the morning, what Gabriel had told Deanna. However, I still managed to get drunk and pass out. 

I was woken up by a loud hammering noise. It startled me and I got up quickly. But as soon as I got up, I was met by a pounding headache and sudden tiredness. **'Ugh.'** I mumbled. I noticed that someone had put me in my bed, in Daryl and I's room. I smiled to myself and carefully and slowly stumbled down the stairs. 

I saw the source of the hammering noise and sighed with a smile. Judith was sitting on the living room floor playing with some building blocks. I couldn't see anyone around watching her, which was unusual. I walked over to her and sat down, I finished the half-completed braid in her hair and then gave her, her teddy bear. **'Hey, little one. Do you know who was looking after you?'** I asked her with a smile, knowing that she wouldn't respond but it was still worth it with the massive cute smile I received. 

I got up and walked towards the kitchen, realizing there was an open bottle of whiskey lying around. Swearing in my head, I picked it up off the floor and tightened the cap so that Judith couldn't touch it. I slid it into the cupboard and looked around, anger boiling deeply in the pit of my stomach. Who could be so careless? Then the front door swung open with a bang. Rick came sprinting in but sighed with relief when he saw me standing next to Judith. 

**'I'm going to kill him.'** Rick muttered. Confusion swirled inside my aching head. 

**'Who? And why? Rick, what's going on?'** I asked, sitting down on the sofa and rubbing my temples to help relieve my headache. He sighed and sat down next to me. 

**'I left one of Deanna's sons to watch Judith for me, but he got called away temporarily and forgot what he was doing. I saw him walking around outside and realized that Judith was alone. But I guess not anymore. Are you doing ok? You got pretty drunk last night, it was hilarious. But don't worry you're not alone. Abraham is also incredibly hungover. Sasha's dealing with him. '** He laughed. I scowled. 

**'I don't remember any of the night at a- wait.'** It all suddenly came back to me. Gabriel. **'Rick. Daryl and I overheard Gabriel telling Deanna that our group is not to be trusted and that she should kick us out. I was going to tell you but, well, this happened.'** I saw the flame in his eyes appear and shine brightly. 

**'I have a plan. You go and talk to Deanna's son, Spencer, and I will go and talk to Gabriel. Can you take Judith with you? Deanna gave you a day off from going on a run with Daryl because of how much of a hangover you have, but Judith needs someone to look after. Is that ok?'** Rick asked. I nodded and I watched as he strode angrily out of the building. I picked up Judith in my arms and made sure she had her teddy before leaving the house too. It was bright outside, and the sun hit my eyes like a train. After the sudden pain had started to die down, I looked around for Deanna. She was talking to Carol. I made my way over. 

**'Deanna. I'm sorry to interrupt but I'm looking for your son Spencer. Have you seen him around?'** I asked, trying to act normally. She nodded suspiciously 

**'He's on watch at the fence with Glenn.'** She replied. I smiled and I walked over to the fence. Glenn was talking to a man that had brown curly hair and a beard. I looked at Judith. 

**'That's the man that was meant to be looking after you.'** I whispered. She seemingly understood and looked at him with childish disgust which made me laugh. **'Excuse me, but are you, Spencer Monroe?'** I said walking over. He nodded and walked over too. Sudden realization hitting him when he saw Judith. 

**'Oh, I'm so sorry. I got sidetracked I-'** He was cut off by both Judith and I staring at him with anger. 

'You left a whiskey bottle lying on the floor with a 1-year-old. ' I complained. He looked at me apologetically. I sighed, feeling a sudden wave of nausea.

**'Just, please don't do that again. It wasn't a great thing to wake up to.'** I sighed walking away. But then the wave of nausea started to get stronger and I realized I was going to throw up. My face started to burn and I ran back to the house. I placed Judith on the floor with her blocks and ran to the toilet just in time for the entire contents of my meal from yesterday to come back up. When I stopped, I realized that someone had entered the house while I was emptying my stomach. I looked up with horror. Daryl was standing at the door, he had the shadow of a smile on his face. **'So the hangover hit you bad, huh? Merle and I used to have hangover's all the time.** ' He noticed that I was going to throw up again and held my hair up behind me. Feeling like it was all out of my system, I got up and washed my face. Looking in the mirror, I realized how ghastly I looked. I was so pale that I somehow looked grey and my eyes had purple under them, my hair was knotted and messy and I was still in my pajamas. Daryl hugged me from behind. **'It's just the drink catching up with you. You still look beautiful but if it makes you feel better, you will look better once you have had some water to drink.'** I smiled up at him with pure love. 'Oh, Rick and Carol are waiting for us downstairs.' He took my hand and led me down the stairs. I carefully sat down back on the sofa. Carol looked at me with pity. 

**'Wow. You should try some painkillers for your headache. There's some in the bathroom.'** She laughed. I nodded embarrassed. 

**'Anyway, we need to make it clear to everyone in this camp, that there is a meeting tonight and everyone has to come. Deanna is leading it and it is about our group's future at this camp. Alana, while you were sleeping, I had a sort of, break down.'** Rick explained, I noticed that he had traces of blood on his face and was holding an ice pack to a black eye. **'Michonne knocked me out.'** He said pointing to the black eye. 

**'You need to be out at the camp by 10 pm. Is that ok?'** Carol asked. I nodded. Carol and Rick left, while Daryl and I sat down on the porch swing. Daryl pulled out the yellow walkman from his pocket. **'Daryl...'** I smiled gratefully as he put one of the headphones in my ear and one in his. He started the playlist and I rested my head on his shoulder. **'I'm going on a run with Aaron. I will miss the meeting so I'm trusting you to make sure that no one goes crazy. Is that a good idea?'** He asked looking at me interested. 

**'What? You're going on a run? Why?'** I asked, suddenly worried. He sighed.

**'We are running out of the medical equipment for you and Denise. She had to deal with her first cuts and bruises today. I don't know if you noticed but Rick got in a fight with Pete.'** He explained. 

**'Pete? What did he do?'** I asked curiously. Daryl shrugged. 

**'Hm ok. I should check on Denise then. Be safe, Dixon. I don't want to lose you too.'** I kissed him on the forehead and got up, taking out the headphone and leaving it with him. He turned it off and placed it in my pocket. 

**'Maybe get out of your pajama's first.'** He whispered into my ear. I laughed and watched as he left down the steps. 

Worry filled me. He was going to be back dealing with the dead. 


	35. Bandages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day continues, what will happen to the group now that their residence in Alexandria is in danger?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one has more dialogue rather than action but if you do like the action then don't worry as I will be making another chapter after this that will have a ton of action. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 9 (Season 5 Part 2) - Bandages

I had gotten dressed so that I didn't look like a mess. Daryl left about 10 minutes after our conversation on the porch and I watched him leave with Aaron. Glenn and a full group left after, making Alexandria seem quieter than usual. 

The sun was beating down, so to get out of the sun, I made my way over to the infirmary. Unusually, Denise wasn't around but I decided to remind myself of the basic surgery steps. I looked through her textbook. I went into the storage room at the back to check our resources. There were a few bandages and syringes left but not many. That was probably what one of the groups had gone on a run for. Back in the main infirmary, I sat down and looked out the window daydreaming. I thought about how long it had taken to get us to a safe place. How many people we had lost. It was a tragedy. 

I was broken out of my daydream by sudden shouts coming towards the building, my reflexes made me bolt up reaching for the throwing knife in my shoe, but not making it obvious it was there. I saw that the group that Glenn had left with, were now limping towards me. There were significantly fewer of them now, which made me worried.

They forcefully burst through the door and Glenn helped a woman onto the bed. **'We got your medical supplies, Denise requested them. But there was a pack of walkers. You have to amputate the leg.'** Glenn explained, looking at me begging. I walked over to the woman who was lying weakly on the bed and gently pressed the back of my hand to her forehead. It burned so much the heat left a red mark on my hand. I picked up a nearby stethoscope and checked her vitals. Slowly shaking my head at Glenn, I stroked the woman's forehead as comfortingly as possible. By my working out, she didn't have very long left. **'Does she have any relatives here?'** I asked looking at Glenn. He shook his head. Sighing painfully, I looked back at the woman, who was now unconscious. Glenn was looking at her carefully. 

**'I'll do it.'** He whispered. I looked at him sympathetically but he pulled out his knife. I saw him carry the body towards the graveyard as I walked over to the next bed, where a young man was trying to pick up a body. He was failing terribly so I walked over to help but gasped when I saw them. It was a young girl, who had blonde hair just like Beth. Her eyes were a deep blue, causing me to freeze as I lost myself thinking about how many we had lost already. Tears welled in my eyes, spilling over as I continued to stare at the body. **'Er, hello? Did you know her?'** The boy asked, shaking me out of my trance. I shook my head, wiped my tears away, and helped the body over onto his shoulder. He walked out of the infirmary, bumping into Denise on the way. 

She looked like she had been running, but she sighed when she saw the empty infirmary. **'I'm so sorry Alana. I was with Tara I didn't see anyone enter so I didn't-'** She began, but I gave her a smile that told her it was fine. **'Did they get the medical equipment?'** She asked. 

**'Yes, they did. Hopefully, the people that died for this saved some lives in the process.'** I sighed, picking up Glenn's bag and placing it in the bag. **'Have you seen Maggie recently? I have not. She wasn't at the party last night.'** I asked looking at Denise. 

**'She's on watch. She actually said that she was looking for you specifically.'** She explained. 

I walked over to the wall and saw Maggie sitting at the top. I climbed up carefully and sat with her, looking out over the vast expanse of trees and walkers. **'You wanted to talk to me?'** I asked her. She smiled looking at me, but I could tell that it was a worried smile. **'What's wrong?'** I asked, worried for her. 

**'Alana, I haven't told Glenn yet. Because I'm not sure if I am but, I think I'm pregnant.'** She started to cry. I put my arm around her, speechless.

**'Congratulations! Are these happy tears or sad?'** I asked her, half smiling.

**'Both.'** She mumbled into my shoulder. Once Denise had left the infirmary, I signaled that it was safe for Maggie to enter. She led down on one of the beds. 

I found a pregnancy test in Glenn's bag and also found some ultrasound cream, which was perfect. **'Ok, so just use the pregnancy test, here is some water and I'll be getting the ultrasound ready out here.'** I said handing over the stick and indicating to the bathroom. She smiled and walked over. It had been so long since I used the ultrasound machine but I still remembered how to use it, which was a relief. 

Maggie came back and placed the stick in the sanitary bowl so that we could wait until it had come to its conclusion. **'It's going to feel a bit cold at first but you'll get used to it if you are pregnant.'** I explained, squirting the cream onto her stomach. 

**'I know. I did this with Hershel back on the farm.'** She gave a sad smile. I looked up. 

**'He would be so proud of you. I know he would.'** I whispered. She smiled, tearing up. **'And he would also be very happy for you.'** I laughed, turning the audio on the ultrasound up so that she could hear the heartbeat. Her head whipped round to the screen and she let out a gasp. **'You're quite far along. About two weeks in. You should tell Glenn as soon as possible so that you can get some pregnancy vitamins.'** I explained, beaming. She brought me in for a hug. 

**'Thank you, Alana.'** She whispered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this one is shorter than usual, it is only so that it will make up for the future ones. :)


	36. A Happy Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting is held, but what will be the outcome?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is the finale, but it has two parts to it so I'll probably release the next one in a couple of hours or so. I hope you enjoy it! :)  
> PS: This one will be shorter than the others.

Chapter 10 (Season 10 Part 2)- A Happy Gathering

I was starting to get worried. A run shouldn't take this long, so where were Daryl and Aaron?

It was getting dark, so I made sure that Judith was fast asleep, then made my way out of the house. It was dark except for the light from the campfire. There were many people sat around it, I walked over and leaned against a fence. There was everyone from my group (apart from Aaron and Daryl). There was everyone from Alexandria except for the children and the elderly, and they all had serious facial expressions. Deanna was at the head of the campfire. 

After a couple more people joined, she began, **'Welcome to another meeting for the Alexandrians and the first for Rick's group. It may seem serious but we try to keep it light. We are here to discuss the residency of our new members. Before we start, I would like us all to have a moment of silence for the ones we lost today.'** Deanna explained. The entire group went silent, you could hear the crickets in the grass and the wind gently pushing against the wall. I remembered the woman and the young girl that came into the infirmary earlier that day. I could see an older couple crying in the corner, they must have been the parents. 

After a couple of minutes, Deanna broke the silence **. 'Ok, let's get started. Why don't we list the reasons why Rick's group should stay?'** She looked around the campfire and people nodded. An older man spoke up. 

**'Their experience outside of the wall will help with successful runs.'** There nods of agreement. But some of the younger adults opposed. 

**'It's not like we couldn't handle it before they were here, they're just more mouths to feed.'** This caused some uproar as Abraham started to make his way over to them looking angry but I put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Deanna lifted her hand up for silence. 

**'Let's get back to the advantages. I'll start, without Alana, Denise wouldn't have the opportunity to learn and we wouldn't have a medic.'** Deanna smiled at me. There were nods everywhere. Then a young woman spoke up. 

**'Rick and Michonne's leadership provide aid in protecting us from ourselves.'** She said timidly. People agreed. 

**'Abraham is helping with the construction of this place, Rosalie can help train our people and Eugene can help with new power and energy options.'** Someone else explained. 

**'Ok, now let's talk about why they shouldn't stay. Rick's group, brace yourselves for insults, and please don't get mad. Is there anyone?'** Deanna looked around. 

I could just about see Rick staring angrily into Gabriel's eyes, who was peering back at him with fear. Before anyone could answer, there was a crash. Everyone's heads span round to the source of the sound. I saw Rick reach for his gun. Pete, Jesse's husband, came stumbling into view. I heard Jesse gasp somewhere behind me. I looked at Pete warningly. 

**'I have a couple of reasons why they shouldn't stay.'** His words were slurred, suggesting that he was drunk. Rick started to approach him slowly.

 **'Pete, your drunk, you should go home.'** Deanna warned. 

**'No. Everyone should get a say. And I say that these assholes should leave. They only cause trouble.'** The more words that came out of his mouth, the more my group tensed. I felt the tension rising and rising around me. Someone needed to shut him up before things got worse. **'In fact, they are all bad. Carol is fake, Abraham is too hot-headed and stupid, Sasha can't talk to people without losing it, Gabriel went against his own people, Carl is an accident waiting to happen, wherever Alana goes people die, not to mention she is missing a foot which means she can't be very good in combat and Rick kills and kills and kills.'** His words hit me like knives. My eyes started to tear up but I blinked them away. Deanna's husband Reg walked over to Pete carefully placing a hand on his shoulder. 

**'You should go back to your house Pete. Please.'** He said calmly. Pete shook his head vigorously, brandishing a knife. Reg moved to step in front of Pete so that he couldn't step closer but Pete sliced his neck, spraying blood all over me, who was standing next to him. Flashbacks blinded me. When men, women, even children ran at me at the prison and I sliced them away. When Beth died, when it could have been me instead. When I let Noah die. 

I heard Deanna scream but it was distant. I blinked seeing Rick decapitate Pete with one of Michonne's swords, making him look like a psychopath. There were screams but I couldn't focus on anything. Looking down at my shaky hands, that were dripping with blood made it worse. Tears fell down my face. And the moment of realization hit me like a train.

I was responsible for so many deaths. I was weak and the blood was on my hands. 


	37. Swinging Swords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the meeting around the campfire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last chapter of season 5, I will be taking a break for a couple of days to plan for the next couple of seasons so I hope you enjoy this one :)

Chapter 11 (Season 5 Part 2)- Swinging Swords

Hearing the footsteps get closer, I looked up. Daryl was standing there with Aaron and a man I didn't know, he was holding a stick and looked like he knew what he was doing. 

They took in the scene before them. Rick covered in blood standing over a decapitated body. Me, also covered in blood but looking weirdly detached compared to everyone else. The other dead body that Deanna was crying over, her two sons with her. Daryl looked at me worriedly. I could see him and I felt happy to see him, but that happiness was being smothered, like a candle being snuffed. 

He ran over to me. **'Alana? Are you ok? I'm going to take you back to the house, ok?'** I heard him say distantly. He led me into the house and into the bathroom. **'You have blood all over you, I'm going to wash it off, ok? You're going to be alright, I'm here.'** Every time he spoke it brought me closer to being back down on earth with him. He carefully took off my clothes and helped me into the bath, carefully pouring water over my skin and into my hair. 

**'What happened out there?'** He asked. The scene replayed in my mind, breaking me harshly back to reality and causing me to break down in tears into his arms. He pulled me against his chest. **'Shhh, it's ok I'm here now.'** He whispered. 

After a couple of hours, I was sitting with my back resting on Daryl's torso as he sat up in bed, stroking my hair. I had told him everything and he had just brought me into a tight embrace, which made me feel a lot better. 

**'Why were you gone for so long? And who did you bring back?'** I asked curiously, my mood having improved a lot. 

**'We got caught in a hoard of walkers, and we met Morgan, Rick's friend from the beginning. He helped us out but we found something. A group. They're not friendly and they are heading over to Alexandria eventually. We need to be ready but we have time. Aaron is telling the rest of the people about them. They're called the Wolves. We have enough firepower to take them down but we need work and training.'** He explained. I nodded taking it all in. 

**'I heard Maggie is expecting?'** Daryl said changing the subject. 

**'Oh, she started telling people. Yeah, I gave her a checkup and told her the news. There's going to be a baby Greene-Rhee.'** I laughed. Daryl smiled. 

**'Hershel would be proud of them.'** He sighed. 

**'He would. Maggie knows that but I hope Glenn does too. He's beating himself up about the recent run they went on, a woman died in his arms. It was hard on him so I'm hoping the good news will bring him out of his depression.'** I explained. 

**'We should get some sleep. It's been a long day.'** Daryl whispered, turning off the lamp. He turned, causing me to turn on my side too. His arms made me feel safe and I slowly drifted to sleep. 

I woke up, thinking it was morning and was startled when I was welcomed by darkness. I looked over and saw that Daryl was fast asleep. I went to the bathroom. But when I saw the box of pads still full, I realized something. I was 2 days late. **'Oh no.'** I whispered, feeling the color drain from my face. This couldn't be happening. 

I walked out of the bathroom, tying a dressing-gown around me. I walked out onto the landing carefully and quietly walking past all of the rooms where everyone was sleeping. I silently stepped down the stairs and out of the house, making my way over to the infirmary. I stopped when I saw Sasha talking to Abraham on the wall. I hid behind a wall and watched them. Abraham had his arm around Sasha and her head was resting on his shoulder. I smiled at how peaceful they looked. Realizing they couldn't see me, I stepped into the dark infirmary, grabbing a lantern to light my path. 

To my surprise, the desk light was on, and Denise was hunched over a textbook, she startled when she looked up at me, apparently having not heard me enter. 

**'Denise, I need your help. You know how to perform a basic pregnancy checkup, right?'** I asked her in a hushed voice. She looked shocked at first but then regained her composure. 

**'I do. Do you think you're...'** She asked. I nodded nervously, proceeding to go into the back room and find a pregnancy test. **'Denise, can you get the ultrasound ready for me?'** I asked her. 

**'Of course, Alana. Are you excited or nervous?'** She asked back. I laughed a little. 

**'Nervous. My group hasn't had the best luck with pregnancies.'** I sighed. I picked up a pregnancy test and went to the small bathroom. 

Once I had finished, I placed the stick in the sanitary bowl and sat at the desk waiting until it came up with its conclusion. ' **How is Deanna?'** I whispered, not trying to wake anyone up. 

**'Not good. Olivia told me that she took out 3 bottles of whiskey then came back for more about 2 hours ago. Someone should go and see her.'** She sighed. I nodded in agreement. 

**'I didn't know her husband very well. What was he like?'** I asked curiously. 

**'He was an architect. He created Alexandria when this all began. Without him, it wouldn't be here. I need to ask you some questions now, I'm sure you know what I'm going to ask you as you have probably done this before but I need to tell you anyway.'** She smiled awkwardly. I smiled back, proud of what she had learned so far. 

After I had answered all of her questions, we sat and talked for half an hour. Until it was finally time to look at the results. **'Deep breaths Alana.'** She whispered, I nodded and tried to steady my hands. Then I picked up the test. All air exited me. **'Positive.'** My brain kicked into hyper gear and I stood up. 

**'We need to give me an ultrasound, pregnancy tests aren't always correct.'** I said quickly, lying down on the hospital bed and lifting up my shirt so that she could put the cream on. She hesitantly squirted it on and placed the machine on my stomach, turning the audio on so that it wouldn't wake anyone up but we could still hear it. Sure enough, a heartbeat played back. 

**'Alana, you're 2 weeks pregnant.'**


	38. Good News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana spreads the news. A new enemy is discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This season is going to be the most action-packed season yet and the longest. I hope you enjoy it! :)  
> PS: There will be a mid-season break

Chapter 1 (Season 6 Part 1) - Good News

I sat on the sofa in the darkness, wrapped tightly in a blanket and resting a warm cup of hot chocolate between my hands. My heart was thumping erratically in my chest. The news hadn't properly sunk in yet. I glanced at the clock. 4.55 am. I sighed. 

Sudden footsteps coming down the stairs made me spill some of the hot chocolate on my leg. **'Shit!'** I hissed quietly. I wiped it off and got up, I could just make it Rick wearing his pajama's. 

**'Hey.'** He whispered, rubbing his eyes while pouring himself some coffee. **'What are you doing up so early?'** He asked. 

**'I could ask you the same.'** I laughed, walking over to him in the kitchen. He smiled. 

**'Well, Judith seems to have the same clock as you, so she woke me up. You look shaken up. What's wrong?'** He asked, suddenly concerned. I sighed, realizing I couldn't keep it a secret forever. 

**'I'm... I'm pregnant.'** I whispered. I saw his facial expression as the news sunk in. At first, he was shocked but then he smiled, looking at me proudly, just like a real brother would do. He brought me in for a hug. 

We broke apart and he looked at me seriously. **'Daryl's?'** He asked. 

I rolled my eyes. ' **Of course!** ' I laughed. 

**'Congrats, Alana! I'm so happy for you both. Your child is going to be a real fighter.'** He smiled. 

**'Yeah. Oh, wait. Please don't tell anyone, you're the first to know.'** I pleaded. His eyes widened. 

**'You haven't told Daryl yet? Well, I'm honored.'** He laughed, starting to walk back up the stairs. 

**'Rick, my baby is going to have the best family, thank you so much.'** I smile happily at him. He smiled back, tears in his eyes. 

Before everyone was awake, I got dressed and had a cup of coffee. Then when Daryl woke up I told him to sit on the bed and wait, while I went to get something. I came back with the pregnancy test in a bag and placed it in his hands. 

**'Look at it.'** I smiled. He looked confused but when he saw what it was, he gasped. 

**'Holy shit. Alana!** ' He brought me in for a tight hug. Tears lingered in his eyes. 

**'There's gonna be a baby Dixon.'** I laughed. 

I had a day off from the infirmary and Daryl wasn't going on any runs so I started to spread the news with everyone. Carol wasn't surprised, **'It was going to happen eventually, but I am happy for you!'** She had said and brought me in for a hug. Carl was hesitant at first, considering what happened with his mother I didn't blame him, but eventually, he was happy for me. Everyone was happy for me which made me feel less nervous. I hadn't told Maggie yet, I was saving her for last. 

I found her sitting on a chair at the top of the wall by herself on watch. We had been granted the allowance of carrying our own weapons around so I had my bag over my back and my sword and gun and knife holstered. I climbed up the wall and sat down next to her. 

**'You're going to feel some kicks in about a month.'** I smiled. She smiled back. **'Maggie, we both are going to feel kicks soon.'** Her eyes snapped back to me. 

**'What? Are you?'** She gestured towards my stomach. I nodded and she hugged me, then looked at me jokingly. **'I'm still one week ahead of you though right?'** We both laughed. This was by far the happiest moment I had ever felt in my entire life. 

It wasn't a long day with Denise, she seemed to be up to date with everything, except gunshots but she was close enough to get it. 

Rick had assembled a group of everyone that had was trained with a weapon. Apparently he had something to show us. We climbed into separate cars. It had been a while since I had been outside the wall. I let Daryl drive. **'Do you know what it is?'** I asked him. He shook his head, which made me even more curious. Rick pulled over to the side of the road, which created the domino effect. Every car pulled over and everyone got out. We close to the edge of the cliff which made me nervous. 

**'Over the cliff edge, look.'** Rick pointed. Morgan was next to him. I walked over, closely followed by everyone else. I gasped when I saw it. There thousands of walkers stumbling around in a deep hole. There were ramps that would lead them up to Alexandria but they were too stupid to know how to use them. **'We need to lead them away from the camp. And I have a plan.'**


	39. The Hoard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group starts their plan on leading the hoard away from Alexandria. But will it go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is probably going to be released later on because I'm binge-watching all of the walking dead again. It has a lot of action so it was harder to write but I hope that you enjoy it anyway! :)

Chapter 2 (Season 6 Part 1) - The Hoard

The walker's groans filled the air. There were so many of them, more than I had ever seen in my entire life. We got together, close so that we could hear what was about to be said. 

**'I have a plan. A way to divert the walkers away from Alexandria. Sasha and Abraham will take a car and go with Daryl, who will be on his motorbike, and they will lead half of the hoard south, directly away from the camp, using the sound. Glenn, Michonne, Alana, and a group of Alexandrians will run east, making sure no walkers cross your path and make sure both halves stick to your left. You will eventually make it to a shopping district, that you can raid for supplies. I'll go in the RV and lead the other half of the hoard far away to the west. Everyone else goes back to Alexandria and protects it against the Wolves in case they come- I doubt they will though. Every group will have a walkie talkie to stay in touch, ok?'** Rick explained. I nodded, understanding. He handed me a walkie talkie and then handed one out to everyone. 

We dispersed, my group running into the forest. We walked at a slow pace, hearing the roar of Daryl's engine and the slow purr of Sasha and Abraham's car engine as they led half of the walkers away. We walked further and further. I walked up next to Glenn. **'Hey, Alana. Congratulations by the way. Our children are gonna be siblings, isn't that cool?'** He smiled. I noticed how all of this good news showed a small glimpse of what he was like back on the farm, but it was only a shadow now. 

**'Yeah, they will. You know, Maggie and I are doing a bet on the gender of each other's baby. I bet that yours will be a boy but she bets mine will be a girl. What do you think?'** I asked, trying to lighten the mood. He looked thoughtful.

**'I like the idea of mine being a boy but I'm not sure about yours.'** He concluded. I nodded, smiling. Suddenly, Daryl's voice came on over the radio. 

**'Alana, you left the walkie talkie on.'** He laughed. I felt my cheeks burn a bright red. Ricks's voice filled the air too. 

**'Yeah, but hey, I agree with the bets.'** He laughed. I turned my mic off on the walkie talkie and looked away, stifling laughter so that I wouldn't draw the walkers over. We made it to a clearing that was filled with various shops. But there was only one problem. There were lots of walkers. It looked like some of them had diverted away from the hoard and were now crowded. 

**'We have a ton of the walkers on us, at the shops. We'll take cover in one of the buildings and found a way out, over.'** I whispered into the walkie talkie. Michonne and I led our group into a nearby pharmacy as quickly as we could. When we had barricaded the door with nearby materials, I realized we were missing to of our people and one of them was staring shocked at her wrist. 

**'We lost two and she's bitten.'** Glenn explained. I let out an exasperated sigh. **'It's ok. There was nothing we could have done. Go and find you and Maggie some vitamins. It feels like such a long time ago when Maggie and I were doing this for Lori.'** He gave a sad smile. I returned one. 

Luckily, it wasn't hard to find pregnancy medicine. I packed multiple small boxes into my bag and looked around for more general medicine. I packed my bag. Something caught my eye. There was a battered teddy on the floor. It brought tears to my eyes, I picked it up and carefully placed it in my bag. I pulled out my sword and started to skillfully swing around n my hands. I stopped when I felt a pang of pain come from one of my veins. **'Ow.'** I whispered. Strange. It faded, so it left my thoughts quickly. I walked over to the woman that had been bitten and kneeled in front of her. 

**'You're going to be ok.'** I told her she nodded. I heard someone gasp from behind me and saw a man, his name was Scott, I knew his wife from a run a while ago. He had a bite mark on his shoulder. **'Shit.'** He whispered. 

**'Scott...'** I gasped. He was looking at his bite, whimpering. But then he suddenly picked something out of his pocket and handed it to Michonne, who was sitting next to him. 

**'I wrote this before my first run, in case anything happened to me. Please give this to my wife.'** He begged. I got up, not being able to stand any more death and walked over to the shop window. There were few walkers now, as they were starting to lose interest. I turned on my walkie talkie and spoke into it.

**'Is everyone ok? We're still locked in a pharmacy but a route is getting clearer. How is everything going on everyone else's end?'** I asked nervously. There was static until Abraham joined the channel. 

**'We are still leading these douche bags away, what about Rick?'** He asked. There was only static. I sighed nervously. Glenn walked over to me. 

**'I'll take two of them and make a run for it. They need medical help. I'll get a team out for you guys.'** He explained, helping the injured up. I nodded and carefully opened the backdoor, slicing the walker's heads so that it would clear a path for them. I watched as he ran into the distance with them. Michonne helped me push the door shut and I saw how few of us were left. It was now just Heath, Scott, Michonne, and I. A crash at the front of the shop notified me that the walkers had broken in. **'Run!'** I shouted. They followed me into a back alley, but it was a dead-end, blocked by a gate. I turned around and saw a group of walkers getting closer. **'Climb the gate!'** I shouted. I helped Michonne and Heath over the gate but Scott didn't want my help. We both scrambled up the gate. The walkers pulled painfully at my prosthetic, which was surgically implanted into my bone. I let out a cry as a walker pulled and pulled but I managed to get over the fence. I watched in horror as Scott was pulled down and the walkers devoured him, blood squirting everywhere. It was painful to watch. 

**'Come on, we have to go!'** Heath shouted. We followed him out and onto the quiet road, which led down to Alexandria. 

**'We don't have far till we get back. Be quiet though. We can't draw unwanted attention.'** Michonne whispered.

I heard gunshots coming from the camp.

**'The Wolves are here.'**


	40. Wolves Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wolves attack Alexandria, but who will survive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one has a mix of action and dialogue, I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 3 (Season 6 Part 1)- Wolves Attack

Michonne, Heath, and I ran as fast as we could, wrenching the gate open. There were no gunshots anymore. But there were people limping and I saw the busy infirmary. I sprinted over, to help Denise. She looked overwhelmed, but when she saw me she eased a little bit. I picked up a stethoscope and walked over to the first patient. 

It was a young boy, I had seen him hang around with Carl and Enid and Ron. He had blood dripping from his head. I rested the stethoscope over his heart and listened for a pulse. Silence. I put my ear over his mouth to see if his chest rose at all but it didn't. But then he started to move. There gasps from behind me as he reanimated. His eyes weren't clear, they were misted and his skin was turning a rotting grey. I let out a sigh and pulled out my knife before gently driving it into his head through the back of his skull. I laid him back down onto the bed and lifted the sheets over his face before moving onto the next patient. 

After about 2 hours, the infirmary was finally clear. Some of the Alexandrians had moved the dead over to the graveyard. Everyone was starting to recover but the stench of death still hung eerily in the air. **'I'm sorry I wasn't back sooner, Denise.'** I apologized to her as we cleaned up all of the mess in the building. 

**'It's ok. I handled it well, it was good practice for if the walkers manage to make their way here.'** She sighed. **'But so many people died today.'** She finished. I nodded solemnly. 

I walked out of the infirmary when I heard the gate opening, I'm not sure who I wanted it to be but I still felt happy when I saw Rick limping in. The gate closed behind him as I ran over. **'Rick! What happened? Where is everyone? My walkie talkie cut out.'** I explained. 

**'I was attacked. I'm not sure who but they attacked me, the RV is gone. My walkie talkie went away when the RV did. '** He sighed, limping over to the house. I nodded. I realized I was still carrying all of my weapons so I put them back in their holster and took my bag off. I placed the pregnancy medicine and all of the other medicine in the back room of the infirmary. I picked up to glasses of water and two of the pregnancy tablets and took it up onto the wall where Maggie was sat looking out over the grounds. 

I sat down and handed her a glass and a tablet. I put the other tablet in my mouth and swigged down the water. ' **What's this?'** She asked confused. 

**'Pregnancy vitamins. Everything you need to keep both you and your baby healthy.'** I smiled. 

**'You sound like an advert.'** She laughed, swallowing the tablet. ' **Have you seen Glenn? He was with you, I heard on the walkie talkie.'** She asked nervously. 

**'I was with him, I thought he was here already. He left with the injured so that he could get them here faster. He should have been back before us. Don't worry Maggie, we'll find him. Can I borrow your walkie talkie?'** I asked her. She nodded and handed it to me. 

**'Hey, Daryl, is everything ok, are you still there?'** I asked into the cold machine. Only static replied. **'This plan didn't go very well.'** I sighed, taking out a textbook from my bag. 

**'Have you had any pains, like in your veins. Or feeling tired? More tired than usual, I mean.'** I asked curiously. The things I was feeling might just be something to do with pregnancy. She shook her head. 

**'Is everything ok, Alana?'** She asked nervously for me. 

**'I'm not sure.'** I sighed, flicking through the pages until I found my symptoms. 'Shit. That's not good.' I whispered. 

I had landed on the page that described anemia. **'If I'm anemic, and it's really bad then either I'm going to die giving birth or my babies going to die. I can't let that happen.'** I gasped. Maggie brought me in for a hug. We broke apart when I saw something in the distance. 'What's that?' I asked. Maggie picked up her binoculars and searched. 

**'Glenn and Enid. They're coming back.** ' She gasped. I jumped up, smiling as I watched them enter. But then I heard a loud crack below my feet. I looked down and saw that tons of walkers were piling against the watchtower. **'Oh shit. Maggie, jump now!'** I screamed. I pushed her off the tower with me as we collided with the floor. I hit my head on the cold hard ground, my prosthetic was caught on something. It was stuck under a massive piece of rock. Maggie tried to pull me out but it was no use. **'Go! Leave me, Maggie! Go to Glenn!** ' I shouted. 

**'No! I won't leave you!** ' She shouted back. 

**'GO!'** I shrieked. Watching in horror as the watchtower crumbled. It fell, getting closer and closer to being on top of me. I screamed as I managed to pull free from the rock and roll out of the way just as the tower came collapsing down. Dust filled my lungs but I coughed it all out. I looked around, once the dust had cleared I saw Rick running towards me, helping me up off the ground. My head was pounding, I touched it and looked at my hand, which was now covered in blood. **'Ungh.** ' I managed to say. Before passing out. 


	41. Invasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The walkers invade Alexandria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo I did post the midseason finale chapters but this website decided to crash when I hit publish so that was great, I apologize for the lateness. I hope you enjoy :) This is the midseason finale and I will be taking a couple of days off to write the next chapters.

Chapter 4 (Season 6 Part 1)- Invasion

I woke up with a start as someone slapped me in the face. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I was in the house with Rick, Carl, Ron, Jesse, and Sam (Jesse's 8-year-old son) and Michonne. They all looked nervous and kept checking out the windows. 

Rick was peering over at me as I got to my feet. **'Who slapped me?'** I laughed, but apparently it wasn't a laughing matter. No one showed me any attention, I walked over to the window and gasped. What looked like all of the hoard was stumbling around Alexandria. I could see a light on in the infirmary. 

**'We need a plan of action, but first, Alana, you should go and talk to Deanna, she's upstairs in one of the bedrooms.'** Rick advised. I nodded and climbed the stairs. I found Deanna lying on a bed, sweating and looking very weak. 

**'Deanna? Have you been bitten?'** I asked nervously, rushing over to help her sit up. She looked at me, all of the emotion that she had when I first met her, had completely vanished. 

**'Yes. But it's ok. I was going to die eventually. This world wasn't meant for us, Alana. I think we can all see that. But you all need to make it your own. Ok?'** She choked. I nodded quickly. 'Alana, can you pass me that pistol on the bedside table.' She reached but she was too weak. 

**'Why?'** I asked worriedly. She looked at me defiantly. 

**'Because I want to go out fighting.'** She laughed. I gave a sad smile and handed her the pistol, before leaving the room and making my way downstairs. 

Rick was standing at the head of the table looking perplexed, then he stood up quickly. **'I have a plan. We have to get over to the infirmary so that we can group up with the rest of the people. A couple of us, Michonne and I will pull in 3 walkers from outside then gut them. We will put their insides all over us to cover our scent then we will walk over to the infirmary. Is that ok?'** He explained. I nodded in agreement. 

Michonne and Rick pulled in the walkers, I stabbed one in the head and pulled it to the ground. Carl, Rick, and I were using the same walker. Rick covered us both before covering his son. It smelt putrid, I thought I was going to throw up. **'Ok, for everyone that has never done this before, listen up. You have to act like one of them, sound like one of them and smell like them, to avoid actually becoming one of them. Hold hands so that we don't lose each other.'** Rick ordered. Michonne took my hand, I took Rick's hands, who took Carl's hand, who took Jesse's hand, who took Sam's hand and the finally Ron. Michonne was leading us out of the door when I heard Sam start to whimper as we stepped out onto the street. We all looked at him urgently, the walker's heads were turning to us slightly but we just kept moving. 

I could feel my heart thumping erratically in my chest as I heard their horrifying groans and the blood dripped from their mouths from their last meal. Sam apparently couldn't stay as calm as the rest of us and he stopped moving. **'Mom?'** He said aloud, he had seen a walker that was his age. 

**'No, sweetie, we have to keep moving, come on.'** Jesse whispered, hurriedly. But Sam wouldn't move. Three walkers came up from behind him and devoured him, leaving him screaming. I gasped, as Jesse let go of Carl's hand. Her dying son's hand was still clutching her's tightly. 

**'Mom? Please, we have to move.'** Ron choked, staring at his brother with tears in his eyes. But she was frozen now too. She let out a cry, causing walkers to bite her and pulled her down to the ground. We looked around nervously and continued to walk, traumatized. But then I heard the click of a gun, I span around. Ron was aiming his gun at Rick. **'You did this. You killed my entire family.'** He hissed, tears streaming down his face. Rick looked at him, shocked, and still not having recovered from the loss of Jesse and Sam. But before any of us could realize what was going on, Michonne drove a sword through Ron's stomach causing him to fire off a random bullet. I looked around frantically at the walkers who were starting to draw closer, realizing we were imposters. 

**'Dad?'** Carl gasped. I looked around at him and saw that instead of his eye, there was a gaping hole dripping with blood where Ron's bullet had driven in. He collapsed into Rick's arms. 

**'Shit. Rick, run to the infirmary, Michonne, and I will cover you.'** I explained, brandishing my sword and swiping at walkers. We made it up the steps and into the infirmary, quickly. Everyone else was sitting or standing there nervously. I slid my sword back into its holster and followed Rick to the bed where Carl was laying in. Denise ran to my side, ordering all of the surgical equipment. I pulled on surgical gloves and picked up a torch to shine in. **'Denise, get everyone out of this room. Make sure they either wait upstairs or in the entrance, just not in this room.'** I ordered. She escorted everyone out, Rick was reluctant but eventually he left, she closed the door behind me. **'Denise, the bullet hasn't gone through his skull, but the bullet is in pieces. I will have to remove the eyeball. Please pass me the scalpel.'**

After working tirelessly, for what felt like hours, it was finally time to put on the eye patch and wait for him to wake up. I opened the door, pulling off the gloves. Rick rushed in, while Michonne, Maggie, and Glenn looked in nervously. **'He'll be alright, we had to remove his eye but he'll be alright.'** I sighed. They nodded, looking back at me. 

**'Alana, we need your help, we need to start clearing some of the walkers, before more start to come.'** Maggie explained. I nodded and as Michonne opened the door, I pulled out my sword and gun. 

**'From one job to the next.'** I laughed, walking out of the safety of the house. I swung my sword as much as I could before we were surrounded. There was no path back to the house. I started to shoot them but they just kept advancing. They were biting at my limbs now. But just as one reached to bite my wrist, an explosion set fire to half of them. I looked to the source of the chaos and saw Daryl standing on top of the RV with a rocket launcher. I smiled. 

**'Badass.'** I laughed breathlessly into the walkie talkie. He laughed. I saw Abraham and Sasha firing machine guns at them all as well. After 3 days or so, the walkers were gone. It was going to take a while before Alexandria was back up and running but it would be inevitable. 

When the last walker had been killed, I stumbled to my house and collapsed on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. **'What a week.'** I sighed to no one in particular. I was about to fall asleep when the familiar twinge of pain in my veins started to spread. It was coming back worse and worse every day. I was going to have to tell someone eventually. Once the pain had vanished once again, I passed out on the bed into a blissful and much-needed rest. 


	42. In Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set 6 months after the events of 'Invasion'. Alexandria has recovered but what new challenges lie ahead for the group?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did post this but it didn't work, which was annoying, but anyway, this is the start of season 6 part 2! I have been really excited to write these next two seasons, so I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 6 Part 2)

It had been 6 months since the walkers had invaded Alexandria. The wall had been rebuilt and the bodies had been buried. 

Maggie was now sporting a belly the size of a watermelon, mine was the size of half a watermelon as she was 1 month ahead of me. I was 7 months along whereas she was 8 months along. Rick had become the leader of Alexandria as Deanna had died, and one of the first things he did was limit the amount of runs Maggie and I could go on. We were annoyed at first but then we realized that it meant we could sit on the wall and talk about people while eating and eating. 

That had been about 2 months ago. We were now running low on food and had to ration. 

I had spent a lot of my time over the months with Judith as she was learning to walk and speak and it was very heartwarming. She could now call Rick 'Daddy' and she called Michonne 'Mommy'. 

I woke up sweating, in pain once again. I was trying to hide the amount of pain I was in but it was getting harder and harder. Daryl had noticed first then Denise then Maggie then Rick. So I had to eventually tell them what was going on. I was running low on blood as my mom was anemic and I must have inherited it. The fetus inside me was using up a lot of my blood too, so it wasn't going well for me. I was still able to walk and talk and do usual things, which was comforting. 

I got out of bed, noticing how Daryl had already left, which was strange. But then I realized I had slept through half of the day as my stomach rumbled furiously. Careful not to aggravate my stomach, even more, I walked downstairs and swung the fridge open. Nothing. I sighed and turned around but I was met with a piece of toast to the face. which dropped to the floor. **'What the-'** I began, but then I realized that Abraham was standing at the front door. 

**'You meant to catch it!'** He sighed, smiling. 

**'Oh yeah, I'll remember to activate my superhero reflexes next time I see you.'** I laughed sarcastically. He sat down on the sofa and patted the free space next to him. I was starving so I picked the piece of bread up off the floor and bit into it as I sat down. **'Have you heard anything else about the mystery Negan?'** I asked curiously. Abraham, Sasha, and Daryl had been caught by a group of men on motorcycles while they were trying to divert the walker hoard. They claimed to all be Negan, but Daryl blew them up before they could say anything else. 

Abraham shook his head. **'Nope. That's just a mystery that we'll have to deal with another time. For now, we need to focus on not starving our asses off. Rick and Daryl are going on a run today to scout for more food. I came here to ask if you wanted my rations. And it appears you already have eaten it, which sees any argument we were going to have.'** He laughed. My eyes widened with horror. 

**'You son of a bitch. Why didn't you tell me!'** I shouted, anger suddenly rising in me. But then I saw he was laughing, which made me smile. 

**'Relax, it's just a piece of bread. I've still got my prize alcohol so I'm all good. I heard that Rosita wanted your help with something by the way.'** He smiled, getting up and walking out of the door. It always made my chuckle slightly when he had to duck to get through the door. 

I got off the sofa and made my way to the armory, where Rosita spent most of her time. Sure enough, she was cleaning a pistol. **'Hey.'** I said, making her jump. 

**'Oh hey, I need your help. Can you go and persuade Spencer to move out of his house and stop drinking until he ends up dead?'** She sighed. I gave a sad smile to her and walked over to the Monroe house, which was now empty for everyone except Spencer. I climbed the stairs and found him lying on the floor staring up at the ceiling with a bottle of vodka in his hands. 

**'Spencer!'** He didn't move. I slapped him around the face. **'Spencer! Move your ass right now!'** This interaction made him look at me and then slowly get up,.

**'What do you want? I thought I said no one comes in this house except me.'** He said, his speech slurred. I took the vodka out of his hands and put it in a basket. I started to search his cupboards, he stumbled over to me and looked at me incredulously. 

**'What are you doing?'** He asked, holding onto the kitchen surface to make sure that he didn't fall over. 

**'I'm taking away all of your alcohol. Look, Spencer, you're not the only one that lost someone. Do you remember Ron? Jesse's son? Well, he had to watch his mother and brother get eaten by walkers and his father get decapitated. He's not with us anymore because he let his grief take over him, you are down that path, but it's not too late for you.'** I looked at him seriously, my hands still rummaging around until finally, I found all of the alcohol. I pulled it all into the basket. I realized he was looking at me with fresh eyes. Had it worked? **'Do you have any more alcohol?'** I was expecting him to say no but he nodded and pointed to the floorboard, he pulled it up for me and I took out the bottle of whiskey. 'Now, get back on watch. Rosita wants to talk to you as well.' I sighed, walking out of the house. I placed the basket in the food supply room, which made it look less empty at least. I heard the roar of an engine and made my way outside again. 

The gate flew open and Daryl and Rick drove in a new van. They had someone with them. They got out of the van and pulled the man out. **'Who is this?'**

**'I'm Jesus. I come from Hilltop.'**


	43. Hilltop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group travels to the new and mysterious Hilltop, who are being controlled by Negan. What will they find?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is taking a long time to write, I'm not sure why though. I hope you enjoy it! :)  
> PS: This one's a short one because the next couple of chapters will be longer.

Chapter 1 (Season 6 Part 2)- Hilltop

We had all gathered around this new mysterious man. He had long hair and wore a hat. He also had a beard. **'Jesus? Your name is Jesus.'** Abraham asked. 

Jesus nodded, **'That's what my friends called me.'** He smiled. 

**'Are you a friend of ours? Or an enemy?'** Rosita asked, reaching for her weapon. He raised his hands in the air. 

**'That's for you to decide.'** He laughed. Rick moved closer to him. 

**'Tell them what you told us.'** He whispered. Jesus nodded. 

**'Negan owns Hilltop. That means that every now and then he comes to where we live and takes half of everything we have. We need your help to kill him. He has an army of sorts. They call themselves the Saviors. Daryl said that you have run into them before. My leader wants to meet you all. But I must warn you, not many people like him.** ' He sighed. 

**'So we're going to Hilltop?'** I asked, glancing over at Maggie and smiling, we hadn't been beyond the wall in a while. Rick nodded and I beamed. 

We all piled into the RV. I sat next to Daryl. **'Any sign of Carol yet?'** I asked him curiously. He shook his head sadly. Carol had disappeared randomly, as had Morgan about a month after the hoard had invaded. She had left a note saying she would come back but we just didn't know when. It was making us all nervous. 

The RV stopped and we all got out. It was probably the size of half of Alexandria, but right at the center was a large mansion, there were small huts dotted around it and small shelters where you could smell the faint smell of food cooking. It made my stomach rumble. Jesus walked in front of us and led us into the large house. It was huge on the inside too. There were gold cabinets and luscious red carpets. A staircase that had various paintings lined up on the wall beside it. **'It's pretty cool, right? All of this just for Gregory.'** Jesus shook his head angrily and led us up the stairs and into some sort of study. There was a small lean man in a maroon suit, he had thinning grey hair and looked like he had an annoying personality, I was right. 

**'She's a beauty, isn't she?'** He lifted his hands up in the air and admired the walls. There were scowls around the room. Gregory noticed this and suddenly looked serious. **'Alright then, stay calm, let's get straight to business. I want you all to get rid of Negan. Simple.'** He smiled arrogantly and sat proudly in his chair. 

**'And why should we do that?'** Abraham asked, growing to his full height, making him look rather frightening. 

**'Oh well, I was expecting you to just say yes. He's taking our food and drinks and killing us!'** Gregory shouted, his small face turning the color of his suit. 

**'Oh yeah, it looks like your really suffering.'** Daryl said sarcastically, gazing around the room. Gregory's face continued to turn a worrying shade of purple. 

**'If you are not going to help then leave. Hilltop doesn't need people like you!'** He bellowed. No one was frightened of him at all, he scared himself more than he scared any of our group. But just we all turned to leave, Maggie raised her hands. 

**'I have a deal, Gregory. If we kill Negan for you, get rid of the Saviors and all of that, then we can have some of your food, we're starving.'** Maggie pleaded. 

Gregory looked at us with great interest, contemplating. Until finally he replied. **'Deal.'**


	44. A Welcome Home Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group head back to Alexandria. And hatch a plan to kill the saviors. Will everything go as predicted though?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters will be released slower now because I'm not feeling great and I also have school work to do. But you can still expect 6 or 7 chapters a week at the least. :)

Chapter 3 (Season 6 Part 2) - A Welcome Home Gift

We arrived back at Alexandria. It was still day time, which was good as it meant that we could start creating the first plan against the saviors. 

The group gathered at the large table in the weapons room. There was a map of the area at the centre of the table. Rick spoke up,' **Jesus gave me the location of one of their bases, there is a hilltop member being held hostage there. We need to free him. Lets star-'** Rick was cut off by two people entering the weapons room. My draw dropped open. Morgan and Carol stood smiling at the door. I ran and embraced Carol. 

**'You're back!'** I laughed. She looked at me shocked, apparently not remembering I was pregnant. I beamed at her. They walked over to the table. 

**'Carol, Morgan. Where did you go? Actually, we'll talk about that at another time, let's fill you in on what's happening.'** Rick then explained everything they had missed until they were fully caught up. 

**'Ok, so we're going to have teams at all exits and entries to the base...'** Rick then continued to explain the plan. As he was explaining it, I started to feel light-headed, but I just shrugged it off. But then it came back stronger. I hadn't realized that someone had asked me a question and now everyone was looking at me. 

**'Alana? Are you alright?** ' Rick asked. I looked at him confused. Daryl ran over to me as I passed out. 

\----

I woke up in one of the infirmary beds. Denise was sitting next to my bed, reading a textbook. **'Denise?'** I sat up in bed. She immediately dropped her pen and looked at me nervously. 

**'Alana? How are you feeling?'** She asked me. 

**'I feel fine. What happened? Where is everyone? Did they leave without me?' I** began to remember what had happened before I passed out. 

**'The group left. But Rick gave you a walkie talkie so that you can keep in touch with every member of the group. Each separate team has one. Daryl didn't want to leave you but Carol persuaded him that you would be ok. You passed out. I assume it was because of your anemia but I can't be certain.'** She explained. I nodded taking it all in. Thanking her, I walked out of the infirmary and climbed up onto the wall, taking a pregnant tablet with me. I sat down and unholstered my gun, keeping at by my side in case I saw anything. I picked up the walkie talkie and turned on my channel. 

**'Hello? Is anyone there?'** I asked, nervously. I was met by Daryl's soothing voice. 

**'Are you alright? Is the baby alright?'** I could hear shouts in the background. 

**'Yeah, yeah, we're both alright.'** I reassured him. He turned his channel off and I heard someone else turn theirs on. 

**'Hey, Alana. It's good to know you're alright. Now, Daryl and I have just entered a long tunnel. It wasn't on the maps. But it could be the location of the Hilltop member. Keep searching though.'** Rick's voice filled the air. The channel turned off. There wasn't a lot to do so I started to make a list of possible baby names in the back of a textbook. 

I was up to my third boy's name when there were gunshots on the walkie talkie. **'Is everything alright?'** I asked urgently. 

**'Yeah, nothing hit us. Unfortunately, we found the hostage though.'** Morgan spoke with a disappointed tone. 

**'Unfortunately?'** Abraham questioned. 

**'Yeah, he was one of them. I think they're all dead now. Rick?'** Morgan sounded out of breath. 

**'Yeah. Ok, everybody let's start to head back.'** Rick's voice was cut out by an unfamiliar voice. 

**'Hello, Rick. And whoever else is on this channel. You will be pleased to know that we found a Carol and a Maggie scouting the area. We're gonna take them to a safer place.'** It was a woman's voice. 

There was silence on the speaker until Glenn spoke up. **'Where are you taking them? Who are you? I'm going to kill you if you touch Maggie, I swear!'** He sounded furious. Fear filled me, turning the atmosphere around me cold. 

**'Woah slow down there hotshot. I'm not gonna tell you where I'm taking them, that would be no fun. And I highly doubt that you'll kill me. Oh, and to answer your other question. I am Negan. We all are Negan. And by the way, I've always wanted to see a baby as a walker, I guess I'll get to finally find out now.'** She added a sinister tone to her last sentence then the channel cut out. 

Maggie and Carol were the hostages now. 


	45. Medicine Supplies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part of the group goes on a run for medicine, but what will they find?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one has both action and dialogue so I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 4 (Season 6 Part 2) - Medicine Supplies

We arrived back at Alexandria, all with worry and sadness written over our faces. We trudged over to the weapons room, ready for Rick to tell us what to do. He stood there, looking a little bit lost but like he still had a plan, which of course he did.

**'Abraham and Eugene go to where Eugene needs so that he can make the bullets. Rosita, Glenn, Daryl, Michonne, Alana go and find supplies, preferably food and meds but I'm not picky, also take Denise with you. The rest of us will go after Carol and Maggie, we're going to take Carl with us this time.'** Rick explained, pointing at various places on the map as he spoke. This was definitely one of the more controversial plans that he had made. 

**'What? No! I need to go after Maggie!'** Glenn complained. 

**'No, you are too hot-headed and the other group needs you as you know where all of the good supplies are. Don't worry we'll bring them back safely.'** Rick sighed. Everyone nodded and went their separate ways. I told my group to wait at the gate while I went to get Denise. 

**'Denise! We need you on a run, it's going to be quick and easy and most importantly a safe one.'** I persuaded her and she looked at me suspiciously, before walking over to us. Rosita, Michonne, Glenn, and Denise all got in a car, while I climbed on the back of the motorbike with Daryl. The gate was pulled open and we moved swiftly into the wilderness. It was so good to finally feel the wind in my hair and against my face. I laughed happily in Daryl's ear, he smiled. We made it to a clearing, that had train tracks and was surrounded by trees. Michonne's car shuddered to a stop. Daryl pulled over. **'What's going on?'** He asked. 

They all got out of the car quickly. **'Someone forgot to put enough gas in the car before we left.'** Rosita sighed. 

**'Who are you blaming this time?'** Glenn asked, starting to get frustrated. 

**'Oh, maybe the only person that actually uses this car!'** Rosita started to shout. 

**'Well I'm the one with a pregnant wife that's in danger! So I'm sorry if I'm a bit forgetful!'** He bellowed back at her. Denise stepped in between them. 

**'Stop fighting! The louder you are the more walkers will come. Rick should have known better than to put you two together because all you do is fight no matter what, you have to learn to-'** An arrow flew from beside me and continued into Denise's skull. It protruded out of her eye. I gasped. **'- be kind to each other, and if you don't then you'll'** She fell to the ground. My knees buckled and crouched over the body. Daryl knelt beside me. Tears spilled over my eyes. 

**'Denise. No! Who did this?'** I whispered. Then I heard footsteps coming from both sides of trees. Multiple men appeared carrying a variety of dangerous weapons. The man that looked like he was in charge had half of his face burned and was devouring an apple hungrily. 

**'I did. Sorry about that. Actually, I'm not sorry. Negan's gonna be happy when I bring in all of you.** ' He smiled annoyingly at us, making anger start to boil within me. 

**'You son of a bitch.'** I whispered, I started to reach for my sword but I heard some of the men aim their guns at me. 

**'We don't need any of that now, do we? Men, take the motorcycle and put all of these guys in the van. Don't be gentle.** ' The burned man threw the apple to the ground as his army advanced on us. Someone pulled me roughly to my feet. I saw Daryl punch one but two more came up behind him and knocked him unconscious. That was enough for something to snap within me. I threw multiple punches at man after man, until finally they came up behind me and also knocked me out. 

\---

I woke up with a start. It was dark, I was lying on a cold metal floor. I realized that someone was holding me down but I was also moving. I was in a van. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw that there was a guard pressing my hands down so that I couldn't get up. Daryl and the rest of the run group, apart from Denise, were lying unconscious on the floor. Before I could comprehend what was happening, a man looked at me. **'The pregnant one's awake. What should I do?'** He asked someone at the front with a gruff voice. 

**'Do whatever you want as long as she's alive.'** Someone replied. **'We need to get them back to Negan intact. He sent us the coordinates.'** They continued.

The big guard man scowled at me before knocking me out again. 


	46. Captive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The supply group have been captured by the saviors, but will they be able to escape?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is the penultimate chapter of this season, and it will include both dialogue and action, so I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 5 (Season 6 Part 2) - Captive

I woke up, this time I wasn't lying on the floor but I was still in the van. I saw that I was being held up by my wrists, which were tied using handcuffs to an iron pole. My wrists were bleeding. Then everything hit me. I felt pain in my veins all over my body and ungodly fatigue. I felt drained of everything. I looked over at everyone else. Glenn was unconscious, Rosita, Daryl, but Michonne was not. She was looking at me with nervous and frantic eyes. We had gags on so that we couldn't speak but I could tell she was worried, I probably didn't look too healthy. I tried to kick Daryl's ankle to get him awake but there was a guard watching my every move. So I waited. I pretended to pass out and once I heard the shuffle of footsteps I carefully opened my eyes. The guard was gone. I kicked Daryl, not too hard but hard enough to get him to wake up. Michonne did the same to Rosita and Rosita woke up Glenn. Daryl looked at me nervously. His gaze switched from my bleeding wrists to my bump to my eyes. He was trying to tell me something. He was worried about the baby and I. I smiled with my eyes a little bit so that he knew that everything would be ok. 

Before we could try and find a way to communicate, the van stopped moving and there was the sound of a door shutting with a large slam. The back of the van started to slide open and we all pretended to still be unconscious. They took me out of the handcuffs, painfully pulling my wrists behind my back. They led me over to a tree and tied my hands with a rope around it. They took off our gags and walked back to the van, trying to find something. I looked over at the rest of them, who now had their eyes open. 

**'Alana, are you ok?'** Glenn asked, nervously. I could have told them the truth but it would only make them more nervous. I nodded and then began to think of a plan out of this. 

' **Ok, when they come back, knock them out and we'll get our weapons and drive the van back to Alexandria.'** I whispered. They all nodded with agreement. The guards looked startled when they saw that we had all miraculously woken up at the same time. They came over to possibly knock us out again but I head-butted the guard that was walking towards me. I kicked his feet out from under him and hit his hard on the ground. He lay there unconscious. I looked over to see that all of the other guards were now unconscious too. Michonne used her legs and feet to pick up a knife and she kicked it behind her so that she could get out of the rope. Once she had done that, she began to free everyone. Daryl helped me to my feet. I wasn't steady so he carried my arm over his shoulder. We limped over to the van, they all got in before me so that they could help me get in. Daryl lent me his hand but before I could take it, there was a deafening gunshot. I let out a gasp. 

I looked down and saw that there was blood pouring out of my thigh. Looking back up at Daryl I saw that he was shocked. There was a high pitched ring in my ear but I could still hear the shouts. The guards were behind me. **'Rosita drive!'** I shouted. The van didn't move and the guards were getting closer quickly. 

**'Rosita drive the goddamn car right now!'** I shouted, stumbling back up to my feet and punching a guard before he reached the van. I heard a shout from Daryl as the car sped off into the distance, just as a guard's fist reached my head. 

\---

I wasn't expecting to wake up, but when I did, it wasn't good. I didn't have the strength to lift my head up, so I lay on the cold metal of the van. They hadn't bothered to tie me up this time as they knew that I was probably going to die anyway. There was a part of me that wanted the pain to stop, for me to go into a peaceful never-ending sleep, but another part of me that wanted to live until I could see my beautiful child. 

I tried to tune the pain out and listen to what they were saying but I couldn't. My thigh was still bleeding so I slowly used all of my remaining energy and put a hand on the wound. I found a piece of cloth lying on the floor and knotted it tightly around my leg, letting out a grunt of pain as I did so. The noise made a guard turn their head. **'This one's stubborn, isn't she?'** He laughed. I glared up at him.

**'Yeah, I can't wait to see what Negan will think of her. She's got a pretty face and once that baby is out of her and disposed of then maybe she'll get to be our reward! If she lives that long.'** They all laughed heartily. I felt a twinge of fear, deep in my throat but I just swallowed it back down, staring defiantly at them all. Suddenly the car broke to a halt. A deafening sound filled my ears. 

Whistling. So much whistling. 


	47. Lights Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The season 6 finale. What will happen to the group?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of season 6, but the chapter will be continued in season 7 chapter 1. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 6 Part 2) - Lights Out

The van doors swung open and I saw lights everywhere. We were in a forest clearing at night. There were men everywhere, big men holding guns. There were a number of vehicles but there was a main RV at the front. A guard picked me up and pushed me out of the van and onto the stone floor. I saw my people. Glenn, Rosita, Daryl, Michonne, Abraham, Maggie, Rick, Sasha, Aaron, Carl, and Eugene. They all looked petrified. They looked at me with shock. I realized Ii was bleeding out of the cloth tied around my thigh, and it was becoming hard for me to stay kneeling upright. I probably looked rough. I was next to Glenn, who was staring at Maggie. Maggie looked like she needed some pregnancy vitamins, we must have run out. 

The whistling stopped. A man that looked fierce and was balding walked over menacingly and knocked on the RV door. **'They're ready.'** He smiled. He stepped back as the RV door swung open dramatically. A man wearing tight jeans and a leather jacket came out. He had slicked-back dark hair and had a scratchy beard. He was holding a baseball bat that had nails and sharp wire around it. He was smiling, and he took in the scene before him. 

**'Wow, aren't you all looking rough.'** He laughed in a low voice. **'Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Negan. The Negan. And it may not seem like it but today is your lucky day.'** He paced from one end of the group to the other, staring at everyone intensely. **'Who leads this cheerful bunch?'** He asked the balding man. The man pointed to Rick, who was staring at the floor. Negan smiled and crouched in front of him. 

**'Hey, you must be the asshole Rick. You see there, that's Simon. He's my right-hand man. You need one of those or your gonna get something called betrayal. Just like your friend Eugene did over here.** ' He pointed with the bat over at Eugene, who was crying. Negan looked over at Carl and gasped. **'Oh wow! You must be Rick's son! You look like a small version of him. Except for the eye patch, which is badass by the way.'** Negan laughed. 

**'What do you want?'** Rick growled. Negan took a step back looking shocked, but then he went back to smiling comically. 

**'What do I want? No, what do you want Rick? You started this by blowing up my men with that rocket launcher. And also making a deal with one of our employees to kill us. That's right, Gregory isn't as loyal as you thought.'** Negan laughed sinisterly. **'But hey, today is job day. And that means that you are all getting new jobs. Working for me. You are going to get all of your shit together and collect as much food and supplies as you can. And you will wait until me and my team come over to your little camp and take it all. But don't worry we'll leave you just enough for you all to survive.'** He laughed, walking up and down the group again. He stopped when he reached Maggie. **'A pregnant one? Really? Oh and another pregnant one? What are you men doing to these women!'** He walked over towards me and looked me up and down. **'This one looks like she's been through a war and a half. Maybe I should just put her out of her misery.'** He lifted the bat above my head and I looked at him with as much strength as I could. Before he could bring the bat down on me, Daryl punched him in the face, he was tackled to the ground and Negan looked at him with anger. **'Not cool! That is so not cool! Did you seriously think I would kill a pregnant woman! You are so going to get punished for that my friend. Hey, let's start with the punishments now.'** He walked over to the center of the semi-circle and swung his bat around in his hand, **'This is Lucille. She's my bat. And one of you, or maybe more it depends, will get the blessing of dying to her tonight.'** He walked from one end of the group to the other, smiling at each and everyone one of us. **'Hmm, you know, I just can't decide! I know something that my Momma taught me to help me with this.'** He stood, lifting his bat up at the heads as he walked around. **'A nursery rhyme.'**

Every word of the nursery rhyme, he aimed the bat at a different person. **'Eenie meenie miny moe, catch the tiger by its toe.'** The bat aimed at me temporarily, causing tears to form in my eyes. Every time it landed on someone new I imagined what it would be like to live without them, and it was making the pain even worse. The tears spilled over when it reached Daryl, but it moved on quickly. **'If it hollers, let it go. My mother told me to pick the very best one.'**

**'And you, are, it.'**


	48. Man Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who has been lost to Negan and Lucille?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the chapters that slightly strays from the television shows storyline, so I hope you like it! Also from now on it is probably going to get gorier and have more swear words so beware!
> 
> PS: I'm working on a new idea for a fanfiction, it's going to be a different story from the walking dead universe, so if you have any recommendations please do comment down below :) (but the 'We are the Walking Dead' with Alana will continue to be the main one that I write.)

Chapter 1 (Season 7 Part 1) - Man Down

Negan stopped at Sasha's face. **'You look badass. I'm not gonna lie it's gonna be difficult killing a woman, but you do have some man-sized lady balls on you! So this won't make me feel bad, your friends on the other hand...'** He raised Lucille. Abraham started to get up but a couple of very large and muscular men held him down. Sasha looked at him with a sad smile, giving him a peace sign with her fingers. **'Nobody moves. You can blink, breathe, cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that!'** Negan brought down the bat on Sasha. Abraham let out a gasp and others cried. Tears spilled over my eyes as Negan brought down the bat ferociously over and over again until Sasha's head was nothing but a pile of mush on the gravel. Everywhere was silent apart from the occasional cry or sob. Maggie was sobbing, Abraham was staring at her corpse, Rick was looking at the floor still. Shock paralyzed me. 

**'You know, I don't feel like you have learned your lesson, especially from that little shitfest that happened over there.'** He gestured over at Daryl. **'I think I'm just gonna go right ahead and kill someone else. You know, to make sure you assholes know what will happen if you cross me. Again.'** He turned quickly and landed the bat as hard as he could on Glenn's head, knocking him to the ground. Maggie let out a cry. Glenn was right next to me and blood was splattered all over me. Tears ran shamelessly down my cheeks, a sob escaping from my mouth. Glenn wobbled a bit, but he got back up. He had an abnormal-looking skull that was covered in blood, his eye was popping out of his head painfully. 

**'Maggie, I will find you.'** He stuttered, staring at Maggie with wide eyes. Negan threw down Lucille repeatedly until Glenn bared a striking resemblance to Sasha. I couldn't breathe. Glenn, the young Glenn that used to help the broken RV. He wasn't going to ever see his own child, he wasn't going to see them grow up into a young adult or be with Maggie and grow old together. It wasn't going to be like that ever. He was never going to nag people asking where Maggie was, I was never going to hear that rare laugh that he had. That smile. He was gone. And his insides were splattered all over me. I still couldn't take in air. Maggie was sobbing uncontrollably and I wanted to go and hug her, but my legs would not allow it. 

**'Wow, did anyone see that I wacked his head so hard that his eyeball popped right out! Well, you don't see that every day. Hey, Rick.'** Negan crouched in front of Rick and stared, smiling into his eyes. But he suddenly turned serious. **'Look at me when I talk to you.'** He waved the bloody bat around Rick's face, making him raise his head. Rick had red eyes as if he had been trying not to cry but failed. 

**'I'm gonna kill you. Not today, not tomorrow, but one day, I'm gonna kill you.'** Rick growled under his breath. Negan took a step back. 

**'Holy shit. You people are dark! It doesn't seem to me like you have quite learned your lesson.'** He threw Rick to the ground and grabbed Carl by the collar. I felt my heart rate start to elevate, watching nervously but still in a daze. Negan push Carl so that he was lying on his stomach. **'Anyone got a pen?'** Negan looked around. Simon handed him a dark black pen and drew some dotted lines on Carl's wrist. 

**'No. What are you doing? Please.'** Rick gasped. 

**'If you don't tell me who you are in the next minute, I'm gonna chop off your little serial killer's hand and feed it to you. So Rick, who are you?'** He raised the knife above Carl's hand. Slowly getting lower and lower. And then I saw it. Rick broke.

**'I am Negan.'** He whispered. I'm not sure what I was expecting but a part of me didn't think that he would break. 

**'Damn right. But just to be sure, why don't we check you are loyal.'** Negan dragged Rick on his knees into the RV, slamming the door behind him. The vehicle roared to life and sped off. Simon stepped in. 

**'He'll be back soon so do not move a muscle. You know what will happen if you do.'** He growled. I glanced over at Daryl. He was staring at me nervously. I was going to try and speak but then everything hit me like a wave crashing down on me. My bones ached, my veins pulsating with pain, my head felt heavy and my eyelids too. I couldn't feel my thigh wound anymore, which would have worried me if I had enough energy to worry. I stumbled and fell to the ground on my back, looking up at the sky. It was getting dark. I turned my head as much as I could and saw how close Glenn's remains were. I reached out for him, checking if it was just a dream but I only grabbed air. Daryl was being held with his hands behind his back. I could feel eyes on me, but I didn't feel emotion anymore. The sky started to get darker but then everything around me started to get darker. I looked back at Daryl with half-open eyes. I used all my remaining strength to whisper, **'I love you.'** Before passing out. 


	49. We're on Easy Street

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will happen to the remaining group? Has Negan taken over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I said in the last chapter, the seasons from now on will contain more swearing and more gore so I apologize in advance. I hope you enjoy it! :)
> 
> PS: I need to know if you prefer the speech with bold writing or just speech marks so that it is easier to see, so please tell me, thank you so much for your feedback :)

Chapter 2 (Season 7 Part 1) - We're on Easy Street

I woke up in darkness, I couldn't tell if I was awake or not, or maybe even dead. I tried to move and realized that the pain was still there but it had reduced by a lot. I now had a lot more energy, which was refreshing. I felt the stone walls around me and realized that I was no longer wearing my blood-stained clothes. Instead, I was wearing a jumper and some loose pants. I was barefoot and I felt the hunger start to swell even more. I hadn't felt a kick since way back at Alexandria which made me extremely worried. Suddenly, the light blinded the room. A door had been opened. 

Negan walked in and a wave of hatred washed over me. He kneeled beside me. "Hey there, you must be Alana. You were pretty messed up back there, so out of the kindness of my heart, I let them take you to our doctor, who injected some blood into you and gave you something for your mini serial killer. I can't tell, I can see you are married but I don't see a man apart from Rick wearing one. And you two don't give me vibes. So who is it?" He asked me, with a playful yet curious smile. 

"Daryl." I whispered. He looked shocked. 

"Really? He looks like he hasn't showered for weeks. But hey, each to their own I don't judge. But he's not going to be your husband forever, no. You're going to work for me, once that little fetus is out, you're gonna be one of my wives." He looked at me hungrily, which made me feel disgusted and uncomfortable. 

"Fuck you." I whispered. He looked at me with a shocked expression on his face.

"Well, apparently that pile of smush on the floor wasn't the only one with a pair of lady balls on her. Dwight, you get to deal with Daryl and his wife. Congrats. Because I am nice, give her a table for her baby when you feel like it." He smiled at me and stroked my chin, before getting up and walking out of the door. I gasped as I recognized that Dwight was the man that had shot Denise in the eye, he had a burned face and was grinning at me.

"Did he say Daryl was here?" I asked quietly. 

"Uh-huh. Yep. And he's not doing too good." Dwight laughed, before throwing an apple into the small room and shutting the door. I grabbed the apple and began to devour it, but stopped when a loud song filled my ears. 'We're on easy street, and it feels so sweet.' The lyrics were never-ending.

\----

It felt like days had gone by. I was beginning to feel weak again, and my stomach wasn't liking the fact that my diet was entirely made up of apples. Whether it was the baby or the food, I threw up a lot which drained me of my energy quickly. The same song was being played over and over again and it felt like it was drilling into my mind, but I refused to go insane. Negan came in every few hours to see if I had broken or not until finally, he stopped coming in. 

I had lost track of the time whilst everything had been happening so I didn't know that I had been in that cell for an entire week. The doctor was a small and timid man who looked a lot like a mouse, he gave me pregnancy vitamins every couple of days, which was kind of him. Until finally, something slipped through the small gap in the bottom of the door. There was enough light coming from the outside for me to see what it said, ''Daryl is ok. I'm gonna get you too out of here." I heard footsteps quickly depart and I held the note there in my hands. 

I was finally going to leave this godforsaken prison. 


	50. I Refuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana is in the sanctuary with Daryl, but will they be able to escape?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one has mainly dialogue, but I hope you enjoy it! :)  
> also, this is going to be longer than usual

Chapter 3 (Season Part 1) - I Refuse

I woke up with a start, not that I was able to sleep often. The memories of the other night haunted me. 

I sat there, with my hands over my ears trying to tune out the song, and the multiple hunger pangs. Until finally, the door opened, spilling light all around the room. Negan walked in, followed by Dwight. 

Negan was smiling at me, ''Hey there, today is going to be a busy one for you so I hope that you got enough sleep! We are going to go to the doctor but first I want to show you something, and then I have a surprise for you.'' He smiled, offering me his hand to help me up. I stared at it disdainfully and got up by myself. He sighed and lowered his hand before walking out of the small room, I stepped out and Dwight followed closely behind me. 

As we walked further and further around their home, I saw that it wasn't just entirely made up of the big muscular men with guns. Instead, there was a range of men and women, of all ages and occasionally even a few pets. We weaved through corridor after corridor until finally we reached a door. He pushed it open to reveal a room that had a couple of chairs and a bar, and a dressing room at the side. There were about eight women in tight black dresses, either sitting down and talking or drinking something at the bar. None of them looked up when we entered. 

Negan looked around at them with a massive smile on his face. ''These are all of my wives. And one day, you will be one of them.'' He stroked my chin but I jerked away from him. He raised his hands as if to tell me to relax. 'They are all very hot and I think you will fit in well. But first, you have to learn some respect. Now go and talk to some of them, get to know them a bit. I'll come back for you in half an hour.'' He smiled at a woman then at me and left the room. Dwight's eyes lingered on the same woman before leaving and shutting the door loudly behind him. 

I stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do. The woman called Sherry walked over to me, with a small smile on her face. It wasn't a happy smile though. ''Hey, I'm Sherry. You must be Alana.'' Her eyes lowered to bump. ''How far are you along?''

''Erm, I'm not sure, I haven't been able to keep track of the time much. I'm somewhere in my 8th month.'' I explained, in a timid voice. She nodded, taking another sip of her drink. ''You don't have to answer me, I don't mind but why did Negan and Dwight both look at you like that, but not at any other woman?'' I asked curiously. Her smile faded and was replaced by a grimace. 

''I was engaged to Dwight before Negan found us. Negan doesn't force himself on us, but I think that Dwight thinks that we want it to happen. As you can see, we clearly do not.'' She gestured around the room at the other women, I realized that none of them were smiling, a few of them were crying silently. 

''You said that Negan doesn't force himself on you, but why are you being one of his many wives if you don't enjoy it? Is it a sort of blackmail thing?'' I was starting to feel anger rise in me, towards Negan. 

''Negan is very complicated. He doesn't force but he does say things like if we don't want to be with him then we can go back to working for the saviors and being paid minimum wage and living off scraps.'' She sighed. 

I looked around, I would never be his wife. I only would ever be one person's wife. She must have noticed my facial expression what I was thinking, as she whispered,''Listen, do you remember getting a note?" She studied my face carefully. 

I nodded slowly. "Was it from you?" I asked. She nodded. "Wait but how are you-" I was cut off by Negan and Dwight barging into the room. 

"Hello everyone. I'm here for my pregnant fiance.' He smiled at me from across the room. 

''I'm not your fiance." I whispered, staring at the ground. He walked over to me, with Lucille at his side.

"What did you just say?" He whispered. his voice close to my ear. I didn't respond so he forcefully pushed my chin up so that I was looking at him. "Look at me when I speak to you. I don't like the way that you and the rest of your group talk to me. So I'm going to change that, starting with you." He raised his hand as if to strike me, and I flinched, but I never felt him hit me. Instead, he was smiling. "Don't worry, I don't hit women. But I can get other people to do it. Dwight get two men in here quickly." Dwight nodded and stepped out of the room. 

He reappeared alongside two large men. They walked over to me, and I stepped back, shrinking against the wall. One of them pushed me to the ground, and other brought at a knife, pushing it against my cheek until I started to feel the blood drip down my face. I wasn't afraid of them though, I stared at them in the eyes until they left. Sherry helped me up. "Sherry, go back to doing whatever you were doing. Alana, you come with me, I have a surprise for you." He smiled at me left the room, I glanced at Sherry and she nodded back at me knowingly. I quickly walked after Negan.

\----

He opened a door to reveal a large room, that had a double bed, a small kitchen, and a living room. It reminded me a lot of my old apartment, except my apartment was more homely. He gestured for me to stand over by the kitchen, I frowned at him with confusion but I walked over to where he wanted me to go. "You're going to thank me for this. Dwight, bring him in." Negan nodded at Dwight, and he left the room, returning with a figure whose hair was covering their face. They were looking at the ground and they were wearing the same baggy clothes that I was. But I instantly knew who it was. I let out a gasp and the man looked up. 

"Alana?" Daryl whispered. 


	51. Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Alana have been reunited but will they be able to get an escape plan together?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is mainly dialogue but the next chapter will be action, so I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 4 (Season 7 Part 1) - Different

Daryl looked at me, shocked. He looked tired, and he had a large bruise on his forehead. He seemed different, there was something about him, but I couldn't tell what. He looked at where the men had cut into my cheek a little bit and went to touch my face comfortingly but Negan raised Lucille, making us both flinch. 

"Ah, no, there'll be none of that. Now, I'm going to trust you two to have a normal conversation, maybe even get it on, but I'm only giving you 15 minutes before Dwight takes Alana to the doctor." He smiled at me before leaving, Dwight shut the door behind them, leaving Daryl and I alone in the room. 

I hugged him tightly, he didn't return the hug straight away, but he then he embraced me as hard as he could. "I've missed you," I whispered into his ear. We broke apart and he looked at me with sadness. 

"What have they done to you? Have they done anything-" He started to look angry but I raised my hand to his mouth. 

"They haven't touched me, at least not in that way anyway. Are you ok?" I asked, nervously. He looked at me with the same eyes as before, which was enough to know that he was not. 

But suddenly, his eyes turned to my hand. "What are you doing?" I asked confused. 

"You are still wearing your ring. I thought that he would have wanted you to take it off." He looked confused and saddened. But I was still wearing it. 

"Daryl, if he tells me to take it off, I'll go down fighting. I won't take it off, ever." I smiled at him and carefully stroked his hand. But then something dawned on me. "Did you get a note?" I asked him, curiously. He looked at me, not knowing what I was talking about. I checked my pants for the note and found it crumpled up. I handed it to him and he read it. "It's from someone called Sherry, one of Negans wives. She's going to help us get out of here." I whispered. He looked up at me, there was doubt in his eyes but we both knew that we at least had to try. 

For the rest of our time together, we didn't talk, only hold each other, until it was time. "I love you." I whispered to him as Negan walked in. 

"Right, Simon is going to take Daryl back to his cell and Dwight is taking Alana to the doctor, I'm going to go and get one of my wives." Negan smiled, before exiting the room again. Dwight grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the room, I looked back at Daryl who was staring at me, nervously. 

"Let me go, I can just walk myself, you know!" I said to Dwight, who was ignoring me. I was tempted at asking him how he got his face burned but the answer would probably be violent. He pulled me into a dark room where an elderly man was sitting with glasses at the end of his nose. There was a chair, that looked more like a torture chair rather than a hospital bed, but Dwight pushed me into the chair and then waited at the door. The elderly man looked at me then began to rummage around in a cupboard. 

"Negan said to tell you that if you refuse to be with him then you will work as a doctor here." Dwight told me. 

"I'd rather be a doctor than anyone other than Daryl's wife, so that's ok." I sighed, as the other doctor began to put tubes into my arm. 

Dwight looked at me for a while before finally saying, "I know you think you can escape but you can't. You'll be shot on site and you, your husband and your baby will die." He sighed. 

"Well, what other choice do I have?" I watched carefully as the doctor began to pump a small amount of blood into my system. 

"It's not as bad as you think. We're helping you." He looked me up and down before asking, "Why do you have a prosthetic leg?" 

"Why is your face burned?" I asked back, we stared at each other, until the doctor took out the tubes and gave me a tablet and a glass of water. I swallowed them down and thanked him before getting up. 

"Nope. You're not leaving just yet. Negan's not done with you." Dwight pushed me back in the chair and the doctor stood in the corner of the room, as Negan burst in through the door smiling, as usual. 

"How's my favourite pregnant cripple doing?" He asked, putting Lucille down on a nearby table and gesturing for Dwight to come over. Dwight began to tie my hands down with rope onto the chair. 

"What are you doing?" I asked I was starting to become fearful of what was about to happen. 

"Tell me, Alana, why do you have a prosthetic leg? And who decided to put it into the bone? That's just begging to be ripped out!" He sighed. My eyes widened at this. "Answer my questions or I will rip it off." He suddenly went serious. 

I hesitated, causing Dwight to pull a little on my leg, I let out a shriek. "I was running from a burning farm with Carl and I got my foot stuck in a beartrap. Glenn, one of the people that you killed, decided because then it would be like I had never lost it and I would be able to run and walk easier, it worked." I explained. 

"You are badass! Now, tell me who you are, here let me show you an example." He turned to Dwight. "Dwight, who are you?" 

"I am Negan." Dwight said monotonously as if he had been brainwashed. 

"See! That's all you have to say. So, Alana, who, are, you?" He got close up to my face and I felt his breath on me. 

"My name is Alana, and I am from Rick's group." I whispered defiantly, staring without blinking at him. He sighed and turned around, and nodded to Dwight.

"Bring him in." Negan said. Dwight stepped out of the room and returned with Daryl. 

"Daryl?" I gasped. Two muscular guards held his arms back. He looked at me with extreme worry. 

"Seeing as you both refuse to respect me, I will have to do things the hard way. So Daryl, who are you?" He asked. Daryl stared at the ground and did not reply, causing Dwight to pull as hard as he could on my prosthetic. I let out a scream as it pulled on my bone, it felt like a fire was again within every single part of me. But suddenly he stopped pulling. Tears ran freely down my cheeks, I looked back at Daryl, who was silently crying as his head was held to look at me. 

"Don't break Daryl, I'll be fine, it's ok," I reassured him. Dwight stepped closer to me and took out a knife before pressing it against my stomach. "Don't please." I begged, he started to press harder and harder. 

I looked frantically back at Daryl, who had tears running down his face, and was looking at me. Just as Dwight began to draw blood, Negan raised his hand, causing Dwight to let go of the knife. "I can see we are getting nowhere here. Take them back to their cells, we'll try again tomorrow." Negan sighed, walking out of the room. Dwight unstrapped the ropes and pulled me onto my screaming feet. I reached out for Daryl but he was already being taken away. 

I saw the door to my cell get closer and closer and I suddenly remembered what it was like to be in there. I grabbed a chair to make him stop moving but he just continued to push me. "Stop! Don't, I can't go back in there, please!" I shouted, but Dwight ignored me and threw me into the small dark room, slamming the door behind him. 

Tears ran down my cheeks as I hugged my belly, I had felt a multitude of kicks when Dwight had pulled on the prosthetic, which I knew meant that my baby was in distress. I began to sob as the song Easy Street began to play. When would it all end?


	52. There and Back Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Negan and the saviors go to Alexandria for supplies, but will the group have enough?

Chapter 5 (Season 7 Part 1) - There And Back Again

I was slowly drifting to sleep when the door opened. Dwight entered by himself. "Get up." He ordered. I scowled at him and obeyed. He started walking, and I followed him. Dwight made his way down a corridor and exited, outside. I inhaled the fresh air, it felt good as I hadn't been outside in over 2 weeks. I saw that there was an area that was surrounded by iron fences, walkers were roaming freely around and people that looked like they were prisoners here too, who were fighting the walkers. Occasionally I saw them get eaten, which was worrying. Walls were surrounding the entire courtyard, so there was no easy escape. 

"Follow me." He pushed me over into a large area that had many people and many vehicles. "Get in the truck." He pointed towards a large white supply truck, and it climbed in carefully. There were no seatbelts or anything other than the floor to sit on. There were men and women with assault rifles and pistols in the back too. A man came up to me and tied my hands tightly together with rope, so tight that I thought they were going to start bleeding. Dwight pulled down the back of the truck so that it went dark. I leaned against the wall so that I wouldn't fall over as the engine started and we started to drive. I could feel multiple eyes boring into my back, watching me carefully. 

About half an hour later, the truck stopped and the door was thrown open. Dwight pulled me out and I stumbled but regained my balance. I gasped as I realized where we were. I was standing outside the gates of Alexandria. I looked around and saw that Daryl was there too, and he was glancing over at me, timidly. Negan sidled up to the gate and knocked on it three times with Lucille while saying, "Little pig, little pig, let me in." 

There was a hesitance but the gate was pulled open by Spencer, revealing Rick standing there, looking shocked. "You're early." He told Negan, who signaled for his people to enter Alexandria. Dwight pulled Daryl and I aside so that we were standing next to Negan. Rick looked from Daryl to me with a mixture of shock and sadness. "Daryl? Alana? Are you ok?" He asked, worried. Negan raised Lucille, warningly. 

"No. You do not talk to them, they are mine. We are going to take whatever we want now, and you best hope that it's enough." Negan explained, in a suddenly angry tone. Rick nodded quickly while Negan walked past him and over to the houses. "I like this place, Rick. Give me a tour." He smiled. Rick nodded and led us over to where the guns and food were kept. 

"This is where we keep guns, ammunition, and nutrition." Olivia appeared looking nervous.

"Hello, I'm in charge of looking after everything." She looked as if she was so nervous that she might break down in tears at any moment. I kept looking around for Abraham and Maggie to make sure they were ok but I couldn't see them anywhere. Rick was looking at me with tears in his eyes, but he blinked them away when Negan started talking to him. 

"Rick, I'm going to take your stuff." He informed Rick, before calling over a woman who seemed as if she was second in command. "Arat, choose which houses you raid, don't take everything, just most things, including the mattresses, mine has been getting a bit uncomfortable." He sighed. Arat nodded and strode out of the building to where the men and women with the guns were waiting. I watched as they dispersed and began trashing everything, they started piling things into the trucks. Negan nodded to Dwight before leaving with Rick. Dwight took off the ropes around my wrists and looked at me seriously. 

"I'm giving you ten minutes to talk to people, you must return with something that I like, that I have never seen before. Or else." He glanced down at my prosthetic before leaving. I looked over at Daryl who was looking at the ground. 

"Daryl," I whispered. He looked up at me. "We can do this. We will escape, I promise. I need to find Abraham and Maggie." I said in a hushed voice. He nodded and followed where Rick and Negan were gone. I walked out of the building and into the streets, which were a lot busier than I remembered. I saw Rosita standing with Spencer, looking extremely frustrated. I walked over, keeping an eye on what I was doing and making sure that I wasn't going to get reprimanded when I went back to the Sanctuary. 

"Alana?" She looked at me as if I had changed my appearance. 

"Rosita, where are Abraham and Maggie? Are they ok?" I asked her, with a timid voice. Everything seemed different now as if I wasn't really there. 

"They went to Hilltop, with Jesus and Enid. They haven't returned yet, but don't worry they are coming home soon. Hopefully." She added. I sighed and walked away from then, not sure what to do. I remembered what Dwight had ordered me to do, and quickly walked back over to the pantry area, where I quickly rummaged around. I found the basket that I had created from Spencer's alcohol and looked around. There was a wine bottle that looked 30 years old, which seemed good enough. I knew that it had belonged to Deana, but she had never liked wine, so I knew that no one was ever going to drink it. I picked it up and walked over to where Dwight was standing. He was watching as men carried a mattress from the house I used to sleep in, into a truck. 

I gave him the wine without saying anything, in case he didn't like it. He looked at me then back at the bottle. A smile appeared on his face. "This is good. Well done." He placed the wine ina large bag. "Now go and stay out of trouble." He ordered. I nodded and stepped back so that a woman could lift a crate of food into the truck. 

After 15 minutes of doing nothing, Negan walked over with Rick and Daryl. "I'm not happy with what happened today. You need to keep better track of your people and what they are doing so that they can't hide any more weapons away from us. But other than that, it was a good trip. I'll see you again soon." He smiled before leaving and walking over to the trucks. I walked back to the trucks, which were now parked outside of the gate, and I climbed into one of them. Rick stared at me from the gate. 

"Can they come back?" Rick asked Negan quietly, not breaking eye contact with Daryl and I. 

"Let's see what they think." Negan replied with a smile, they both turned towards us. Daryl didn't say anything, he just looked at the ground. I wanted to scream at him that we wanted to come back, but all I could think of was the pain of what happened when I tried to defy them last time. Therefore I stayed silent and just stared at Rick, as a single tear rolled down my face. Negan smiled at me then back at Rick. "I'll see you soon." He said, before pulling the gate shut on Rick. 

I glanced over at Daryl who was holding back tears. I reached to stroke his hand but a guard man wrapped my hands back in ropes. The engine roared to life and we sped back down the roads towards hell. 


	53. Revisit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A familiar face is seen at the Sanctuary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is the penultimate chapter before the season break! I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 7 Part 1) - Revisit

I sat, leaning against the wall, as far away as I could be from where I had thrown up earlier that day. They never came in to clean it up and they fed me less and less every day. I was starting to wait for the day when it would all just end. But it didn't come, instead, the door swung open and Dwight entered, he looked over at the pile of sick and laughed to himself before pulling me to my feet. "There is something that Negan wants to show you." He grunted, pulling me through corridors until finally, we reached the room where his wives were. He pulled the door open and pushed me inside. Negan was standing there, with someone smaller by his side. I got closer and saw that it was Carl, he wasn't wearing his hat, but he was wearing his eye patch, he was looking particularly nervous. 

"Hello! You're just in time!" Negan exclaimed. Carl looked over at me and his eyes widened. 

"What are you going to do to him?" I asked Negan timidly. Without looking up from the floor. 

"He's just a kid, he'll be fine, in fact I'm thinking of taking him home and making him some nice spaghetti. What do you think, little Grimes?" He smiled, ruffling Carl's hair. Daryl walked in, holding a tray of fruit. "Thank you, Daryl! How kind of you." Negan laughed, taking a grape and eating it. My mouth watered at the sight of food. But I knew that if I tried to eat any, I would get reprimanded. Negan could see what I was thinking and smiled at me. 

"She's learning." He stroked my cheek before leaving, closely followed by Carl, who glanced at me quickly. I watched him carefully, making sure that he wasn't in danger. I realized that Dwight had left, and now Daryl and I were almost alone, apart from the wives. 

"Alana, we can do this. Carl, told me that Jesus left a motorcycle outside, we need to wait for the right time but I think we can make it." He whispered, quickly looking up at Sherry who was watching us. I nodded. 

"Daryl, I think we should wait until they have almost completely forgotten us. So that it is safer. I don't want to risk your life or our baby's life." I whispered, he nodded and I quickly touched his arm comfortingly before leaving the room, walking after Negan. I saw him enter his bedroom with Carl, and I followed.

"Ah, did I forget to leave someone with you. Well done for coming to me. Actually you can stay, close the door behind you. I want to have a conversation with you both." Negan explained as Carl stood there nervously. I nodded and shut the door. Negan gestured for Carl to sit, who hesitated but eventually did take a seat. "Alana, go and get Daryl. This should be fun." I nodded and stepped out of the room, I walked around until I finally found Daryl outside. He was being beaten up by some men. 

"Hey!" I shouted. I knew I would get punished for interfering but I stepped in front of Daryl so that they couldn't hurt him anymore.

"What do you think you're doing?" One of them asked me. 

"We should report you to Negan. But there is another option..." One of them started to reach out for my leg but I kicked them between the legs. Suddenly an arrow narrowly missed my head, causing everyone to freeze. I watched in horror as Dwight stepped out of the building and over to us. He suddenly stabbed the man that had tried to reach for me, in the chest and threw him into the fences to become a walker. He spoke into a walkie talkie,

"Arat, come over to the courtyard, you need to fix your men." He sighed, pulling Daryl and I up and back inside the building over to Negan's room. He pushed us inside and closed the door behind him.

"That took a long time, didn't it?" Negan smiled. I looked over at Carl who wasn't wearing his eye patch anymore. 

"What are you doing to him?" Daryl spoke up. Negan look shocked but regained his facade. 

"I'm just telling the little serial killer here about how badass he is, and that he shouldn't cover that shit up. He told me that you were the surgeon that did this?" He pointed at me. I nodded. "Well, that is some good skill, I'm starting to rethink my idea of you being one of the wives. Or maybe you can be part-time." He smiled getting up off the chair and picking up Lucille, making us flinch. He smiled at our reactions. "I want you to watch what I'm doing." He brought down the bat repeatedly, causing me to have flashbacks of the other night. "Remind you of anyone?" He asked, smiling still. I stared at the ground. 

Dwight entered the room as Negan walked closer to Daryl. "Who are you?" He asked, curiously. There was something very different about Daryl, I couldn't tell what he was about to say. There wasn't any hesitation in his answer though. 

"Daryl." He replied, from within the mess of hair. I smiled a little, but quickly stopped when I saw that Dwight was looking at me. Negan smiled.

"Wow!" He mouthed. "Carl, get up, I'm taking you home for some nice spaghetti, and maybe some lemonade, I guess we'll see what you've got left." Negan smiled innocently, as Carl scowled at him and got up. They exited the room and Dwight was left with us. 

"I'm going to put you back in your cells." He grunted, wrapping my wrists in rope. I didn't object. I walked without him needing to push me and I sat down in my cell, watching as Dwight knelt down by the door. He handed me a picture of something and smiled. "I knew someone like you, she had the same nature and personality. You would have liked her. " He smiled. 

"You don't know anything about me," I replied, taking the picture, I put it face down on the floor and waited for the door to close when it did, a new song started to play. It was a sad song. I reluctantly but curiously picked up the picture and held it in the slither of light coming from the door. It was a picture of Glenn's remains lying on the floor. The tears came so fast that it shocked me. I started to sob uncontrollably. 

They were gone. They were all gone. 


	54. When I See You Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The season 7 midseason finale, will Daryl and Alana be able to escape?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the midseason finale, it is set 2 weeks later from the last chapter, and it will be a very long one. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 7 (Season 7 Part 1)

It had been 2 weeks since Carl had been at the Sanctuary. I hadn't left my cell since I hadn't been allowed to go to the doctors either so I was starting to feel pain and tiredness all over again. I was convinced that I would never see anyone again. The music had been the same Easy Street song and it was now starting to drive me insane. 

I should have been startled when the door opened, but I was too tired to move, I probably looked dead. Dwight stepped in and gave me an apple, except he put it on the floor close to the door so that I would have to move to get it. I didn't know if I wanted to feel the screams from my joints, so I didn't move. "You have to eat." Dwight warned. But I just continued to stare at the ground. He sighed and shut the door. But I didn't hear the familiar click of the lock. Had he forgotten to lock it? But I knew the answer when something slid under the door, it was a hairpin. I listened as the footsteps departed and I carefully opened the door, making sure no one was around. I ran as fast as I could over to Daryl's cell, ignoring my various aches and pains. I fiddled with the lock until it finally opened, revealing Daryl leaning against the wall. 

"Daryl. It's time." He didn't move so I shook him a little bit until he woke up. He then got up and we hid behind a wall so that a guard could not see us. I looked around and the corner, and when I saw that it was clear and ran down it, closely followed by Daryl. I heard voices coming closer and closer and there were no other corridors to go in so I jumped into a room, Daryl shut the door behind us. I looked around and saw that we were in Dwight's room. There were clothes everywhere, and I saw Daryl's crossbow and knife, and my gun, knife, and sword, alongside my bag of belongings. I gasped. Daryl was changing into some new clothes, and I copied him. I found a flannel shirt and put it on, with some jeans. I put the weapons in the holsters and the holsters onto my back for the sword, and waist for the gun and knife. I slung the bag over my other shoulder. "Ready?" I whispered to Daryl. He nodded. "Wait," I said suddenly. I saw the yellow walkman, lying on the bed. I picked it up and stuffed it in my bag. "Ok, now I'm ready." 

I walked up to the door and opened it wide enough to see if anyone was coming, there was no one so I stepped out into the corridor and began running quickly towards the exit, but then I heard someone coming towards us. There was nowhere to go. I reached for my knife but I heard a whisper come from behind me, there was Sherry. She was standing at the top of some stairs. "Come this way!" She whispered. I checked that Daryl was still following me, and when I saw him, I climbed the stairs. She led us into a dark room. "That door leads to the roof, jump onto the parking garage, there is no one there. Take the motorcycle." She explained. Just as she was about to leave I said, 

"Thank you, Sherry. It means a lot what you have done for us." I thanked her. She smiled at me before running down the stairs and disappeared around a corner. I nodded to Daryl and stepped out into the open air. I dropped to the ground so that no one could see us and carefully crawled over to where the parking garage was. I jumped down and waited for Daryl to climb on. He took the stand off and rolled it quietly but quickly out of the large iron fence that I pulled open for him. Once we were out, I shut it and climbed on the back of the bike. The engine roared to life and we sped down the road. I smiled. We had done it. 

\----

We speeding down a road when I heard an engine behind us. I turned around and saw Negan in a large truck, and a variety of cars and bikes following behind. He spoke into a speaker. "You mother fuckers! Did you really think you could get away from me? Just stop the bike now and you can go back to your cell, instead of getting shot." I gave him the middle finger, as Daryl drove into the forest. 

"We have to get off the bike. It's too loud." I whispered. He nodded and stopped the bike. We clambered off, leaving it a nearby bush. We started running, but I felt something within me. I brushed it off when I heard them following us. 

"Where are you? You can't hide for long!" Negan shouted. I heard footsteps and Daryl pulled me behind a tree, as a man ran past us, not noticing us. But then I felt. Something wet spread from between my legs. 

"Shit." I whispered. Daryl looked at me confused. "My water has broken. The baby's coming." I said in a hushed voice. His eyes widened, but I pulled him out of his shock when I heard someone coming. We ran through a bush, and through a small river, into a cave that wasn't big at all. He rolled a bush so that it covered the entrance. I felt a pain ricochet through me. Then again and again, each time the pain got even worse. Daryl sat down, leaning against the wall, and I sat between his legs, with my bag to his abdomen. He stroked my hair comfortingly as a couple of men ran past the cave. 

"Do we have enough time to wait until we get to Alexandria?" He whispered. I shook my head, focusing on my breathing rather than the massive number of men that were chasing us with guns. "Ok." He replied. Then an extremely painful contraction hit me. I let out a squeak, but I put Daryl's hand over my mouth so that I wouldn't scream. He ripped off a piece of his shirt and put it in my mouth so that I could bite down on it. 

"It's coming." I whispered, pulling my jeans off. I felt blood start to flood out of me as the baby traveled out of me. The pain was more than I had ever felt in my entire life. I bit down so hard on the fabric that I thought I would chip my teeth. Daryl stroked my forehead and held my hand. I pushed as hard as I could. But suddenly a man stood outside of the cave. I held my breath and continued to push. I felt like I was going to pass out. Another man appeared outside of the cave. They hadn't heard us, but they were growing suspicious. I felt like I couldn't push anymore, I just wanted the pain to end. 

"Daryl I can't- I" I began to say, but he stroked my hair and whispered in my ear. He reached for my bag and took out the yellow walkman, placing one earphone into my ear and one in his. He then began to play my favourite song from when I was a kid. I smiled.

"You can do this. You are so strong, I believe in you." He smiled. I nodded and pushed. Just as I let out a shriek, there was a loud bang from outside, covering my voice. The men ran away from the cave as the baby arrived. I tried to steady my breathing as Daryl picked up the baby. I couldn't hear any crying though. 

"Daryl? Why can I not hear any crying?" I asked nervously. 

"Its a girl. But she's not moving." He whispered. I took the baby and started to do CPR, as Daryl used his knife to cut the cord. After 10 minutes, the babies mouth opened and started to scream. I laughed and Daryl smiled, putting his finger in her mouth so that she wouldn't attract any unwanted attention. I wrapped her up in my shirt and looked at Daryl. Tears rolled down both of our cheeks as we looked at our beautiful daughter. "What should we name her?" He asked. 

"Beth," I said without a thought. He smiled, tears falling freely. 

"Beth Dixon. I like it." He laughed. I nodded in agreement, holding her tightly against me. She had dark hair and bright blue eyes, and freckles that covered the bridge of her nose. She was beautiful. Suddenly, I felt something. I felt so tired. I felt my body start to go limp. 

"Alana?" I heard Daryl say. My breath started to slow down rapidly. I knew what was happening. I had seen it before. 

"I love you, Daryl. I'm so sorry." I whispered, my eyes starting to get heavy. The cave got darker and darker around me. 

"No, Alana, look at me, look at me!" He pleaded, sobbing, I tried to keep my eyes open but it was no use. Everything went black. 

\----

I woke up, I felt ground beneath me. When my eyes adjusted to the sudden light, something felt different. I sat up and gasped. My prosthetic was gone, instead, my real leg was back. "Look at that. She's back with us." A familiar voice filled my ears. Dale looked at me, then Lori then Amy. 

"She shouldn't be here." Amy said, nervously. Lori stroked her blonde hair. 

"It's ok Amy. Go to your sister, I'll deal with this." She said in a comforting tone. Amy nodded and walked off. 

"What the-" I started to say, but then I looked around. I was back at the old camp, that looked out over Atlanta. There were the familiar RV and cars. With the tents propped up. I saw Shane leaning on his police car, looking out over the city. I saw Beth sitting with her father, singing a song while she played a ukelele. Glenn sat on his red car and was talking to someone. But I couldn't see who it was. Then everything hit me all at once. "I'm dead. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." I started to panic, my breathing became irregular. I heard children laughing and saw Lizzie and Mika playing, Andrea watched over them, smiling. 

"Its alright, Alana. You're different. You just have to calm down so that we can explain." I heard Tyreese's voice and looked up. He was towering over me, standing there with Sasha. I started to breathe slowly. "That's it." Tyreese smiled warmly. Lori helped me to my feet. 

"This can be shocking at first but-" Lori began, but she was interrupted. 

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. This can't be good." This voice was one of the main voices that I had missed for so long. Merle stood in front of me, smiling. I hugged him. 

"I don't want to be dead." I whispered. 

"None of us do, street girl." He replied. "But you still have the option of going back to life. You hear that?" He pointed at the bright blue sky, and I listened carefully. I heard a very faint thump of a heartbeat. 

"My heart?" I asked, worried.

He nodded. "Now, if I could, I would kick you right back to the land of the living, but that's not how this shit works. See, my brother, he loves you, and he's always been the soft one. He would probably never move on from losing you. So you better get your ass back up there." He sighed. Then I remembered that he didn't know something. 

"Merle, are you aware that you just became an uncle?" I asked, smiling. He looked shocked. People started to surround us.

"Wait? Alana? Did you just say you have a child?" Beth asked. I looked at her, tears appearing. I nodded.

"She's called Beth. Beth Dixon." I smiled. Beth started crying and brought me in for a hug. 

"My baby brother has a baby." Merle laughed. He walked away and went to sit down on the bonnet of a car, taking the information in. 

After everyone that I had missed for so long, had finished embracing me, they went back to doing what they were doing. I walked over to Glenn and sat down beside him. He was looking at me, smiling.

"Glenn. I'm so sorry, I-" I started to break down in tears. He hugged me.

"It's ok. It's not your fault." He whispered into my ear. After I regained composure, I looked at him. 

"Is Maggie ok?" He asked, nervously. 

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her since, you know." I sighed. He nodded.

"When you do see her, tell her I love her and tell her that I am always going to be with her." He told me. I nodded, trying to hold back the tears but failing. "I told Hershel that Maggie was expecting. He was over the moon, Beth was too." He laughed. But then he looked serious. 

"Alana. I have to ask, are you going to stay here with us, or leave?"


	55. Give Me More Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Alana stay with the dead or go back to the living?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the second half of season 7 and it is going to be the longest season I have ever done, with around 9 chapters on this part of the season. I hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 1 (Season 7 Part 2) - Give Me More Time

I sat on the bonnet of the car, thinking of how to reply to Glenn's question. If I stayed here then there would be no more pain, but then I thought what and who were waiting for me. "You don't have to decide right now, I reckon you've got about 20 minutes to decide. Before your heart stops." He pointed to the sky and I listened carefully. My heart was still beating but it was getting fainter. I smiled at him, before walking over to Hershel and Dale who were having a discussion.

"Hey there Alana." Hershel smiled. I sat down next to them. 

"What are you two talking about?" I asked curiously. 

"Just about whether or not we should ask you to do something or not. One of us thinks it's not up to us, but the other thinks that you should at least try." Dale explained.

"You're going to tell me to go back and live, aren't you?" I asked them. They nodded.

"It's not up to us, Alana, it's up to you. I'm very proud of what you have done and everyone you have saved, but you can still save more people. You have a chance." Hershel sighed. I nodded, I already knew my answer, and I knew that they knew it as well. "If you do go back, then tell Maggie that everything is ok. And that I am so proud of her." Hershel told me, I nodded. Shane was leaning on his police car, talking to Lori.

"Hey." I stood next to them both. "Judith is growing very quickly. She has your eyes, Shane. But she definitely has her mother's hair." I smiled. They both smiled back. 

"Is everyone looking after her?" Lori asked, quickly.

"She is treated well by everyone. She's part of our family." I smiled reassuringly. Shane looked up at me. 

"How's Rick and Carl?" He asked.

"Rick's the leader, but who doubted that would happen. Carl is growing up to be just as strong as his dad. They're a good pair." I explained. "They miss both of you every single day. And they are still guilty. Everyone is." I sighed. Lori hugged me and Shane nodded at me appreciatively. I heard someone call my name from behind me. I turned around and saw Merle sitting on top of the RV and looking out of the city of Atlanta. I climbed up and sat next to him. 

"Hi there street girl. Have you made your decision?" He asked me curiously. I nodded. "Well, I hope its the right one. My brother really does love you. And I do too, but probably not in the same way. More in a sibling way, you -" I stopped him there and smiled. 

"Merle, stop." I laughed. He smiled. "Thanks for the walkman, I listen to it every day. Daryl and I both do. It helped us both a lot." I thanked him. He smiled at me.

"No problem. I'm glad that you use it more than I did." He smiled. He looked out over the city. "I'm not much of a sentimental person, but I do like sitting here and watching the sunset go down behind the city. It reminds me that it's peaceful now and that I will get to see my brother and you again eventually. I just have to be patient." He sighed. I started to silently cry, but I wiped the tears away with my hand. I looked at the city. It looked like it had before it was bombed but it looked empty. It was so quiet and calm. 

"Wait, listen to that." He pointed at the sky. I couldn't hear anything. "That's not good." He whispered. I jumped off the RV and walked quickly to the centre of the camp where everyone was waiting for me. 

"Alana. I'm so sorry. It's time." 

"No, she waited too long, she's out of time." 

The various voices swirled around me. I lifted my hands for silence. "Wait. What happens when I can't go back?" 

"You die." 


	56. Wait For Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it too late?

Chapter 2 (Season 7 Part 2) - Wait For Me

I stood there, shaking with nerves. "Has anyone ever come back from the dead before?" I asked. 

Amy spoke up. "I was the first here out of all of you, and Carl came when he was shot in his abdomen, then he came back when he was shot in the eye. But both times he came back." She explained.

"I remember the second time. He has very long hair now, do they have scissors wherever you live right now?" Dale asked, trying to lighten the mood but failing.

"How did he go back both times?" I asked. 

"I remember the second time as well, it's down to two things. You need to have someone on the other side that is trying to save your life, and do you remember when you were seizing back at the prison?" Hershel asked me. I nodded.

"We actually saw you for a second. It was very strange." Lori sighed. 

"That's what I thought. I remember that I told you to think of Daryl and all the happy memories that you have in life. Maybe that will help work as well. It's worth a try." Hershel explained, I nodded. Shane pulled in a chair for me and I sat down. I looked at everyone. They were all smiling down at me. 

"I'm going to miss you all," I whispered, tears falling down my cheeks. 

"We'll meet again, I promise you, street girl." Merle smiled. "Remember to say hello to my little bro for me." I nodded.

"Yeah, I'll see you later Alana."Glenn smiled at me. I made sure that the scene before me was burned into my memory before closing my eyes. I remembered holding Beth in my arms as Daryl held me. I thought of when I told Rick I was expecting, and when everyone was all together and happy. When everything was peaceful and we lived together at the prison. I focused on Daryl. The feeling of pure happiness when I saw him in Alexandria with his rocket launcher, when he saved me. I suddenly felt air in my lungs and my heart start to beat. 

There was something covering my face and I realized that there was a sheet covering my face. I couldn't remove it because my neck was tied with a rope, along with my wrists and ankles. They must have thought I was dead and going to turn into a walker. I could see two figures through the sheets. 

"Daryl?" I croaked. There was a gasp and sudden movement. The sheet was pulled from my face and I saw Daryl, staring down at me. He looked like he had been crying a lot. He held my hands between both of his hands. 

"Holy shit. You were dead." He whispered. I smiled.

"Merle says hi." I whispered. He looked confused, but I knew that I would explain it to him later. Rick came into view, he also looked like he had been crying.

"Take the rope off her. She needs to move." He gasped. Daryl nodded and took off the rope. I sat up in bed. "How are you feeling, Alana? You were dead for over an hour." He said with a hushed voice. 

"I'm surprisingly feeling fine. Where's Beth?" I asked suddenly nervous. Rick smiled.

"She's sleeping in Michonne's arms right now." He replied. I smiled. 

I realized that I wasn't in Alexandria's infirmary. And then everything came back to me. "Rick, I'm so sorry. If I had said yes to wanting to come home then Negan would have tortured me. He did horrible things to us." Rick stopped me.

"I understand. It's ok. You're safe now. We're in Hilltop. They have a doctor. I'll go and bring her in." Rick said, walking over to the door. I looked at Daryl, who was gazing at me with a mix of shock and awe in his eyes. 

I proceeded to summarise everything that had happened. At the end of it, he wiped away tears. "They were really there?" He asked me.

"As real as you and I." I replied, smiling sadly. Rick came in, holding Beth in his arms. She was fast asleep. He placed her in Daryl's arms, before smiling at me and leaving the room. Daryl held her carefully and sat down next to me, handing her over to me. She was so small in my arms, I stroked her dark hair gently with my finger. She suddenly woke up. Just as she was about to start crying, she looked at me with bright eyes. "Has she eaten?" I asked worriedly. 

"She wouldn't take anything. She needs you." He replied. I nodded and helped her so that she could feed. 

Once she had finished, I held rocked her in my arms until she slept. Daryl smiled at me. "She's just as beautiful as you." He stroked my chin and kissed me. "I missed you so much." He whispered. 

"I'm here now." 


	57. Brothers and Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group starts to prepare for the war against the saviors. Who will join the fight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a dialogue chapter, I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 3 (Season 7 Part 2) - Brothers and Sisters

After Beth, Daryl, and I had slept for a couple of hours, he helped me up out of the bed and I got changed into new clothes. I held Beth in a blanket and we walked out into the open air. Hilltop seemed busier now, there were people bustling around holding various items, and the smell of food cooking made me hungry. "Where is everyone?" I asked. 

"They are all in the massive house. Here," Daryl replied, taking Beth as I walked into Gregory's house and up the stairs. I walked to where the voices were coming from and in the study, I saw Maggie, Rosita, Michonne, Abraham, Jesus, Enid, and Rick. They all stood up when they saw me.

Maggie ran over and hugged me tightly. "It's true." She whispered. I smiled. When we broke apart I noticed something. 

"Wait, did you?" I gasped. She nodded. Jesus handed over a small baby, smiling. 

"Meet Hershel." She smiled. I laughed and rocked him in until he was fast asleep, before handing him back over to Maggie. "I've already met Beth. Alana, I-" She began, I could see tears starting to form in her eyes so I quickly hugged her. I walked over to Abraham.

"Hey. Are you ok?" I asked worriedly. He looked at the ground with a sad smile. 

"You just died and came back to life and you're asking if I'm ok." He laughed. I smiled and lifted his chin up so that he was looking at me.

"Abraham?" I asked, seriously. He nodded slowly. 

I hugged Michonne. "Thank you for taking care of Beth for me." I whispered. She smiled.

"It's ok. She's a lot quieter than Hershel." We all laughed. I was so happy at that moment, that I couldn't believe that I forgot about everything that was happening outside.

\----

After everyone had left the room, Rick was left with me, he was holding Beth in his arms. "I remember when Carl was this small. He cried so much." Rick laughed. I smiled. 

"Did you know that he tried to kill Negan?" I asked Rick, curiously. Rick shook his head. 

"I didn't, not until I returned to Alexandria to find everyone gaping over Olivia and Spencer's bodies. They took Eugene because he was making bullets as well." Rick sighed. 

"Olivia and Spencer? And Eugene! We have to get rid of the Saviors." I gasped. Rick nodded.

\----

Maggie and I sat on the wall, keeping guard while holding our two babies. "She has Daryl's eyes, but your hair and freckles. She's going to grow up to be a strong woman." Maggie smiled. I smiled back at her, gratefully. 

"Maggie, I have to tell you something," I said, suddenly serious. She looked at me with concern. "When I was dead, I know it's going to sound crazy, but I woke up back at the beginning of everything. Glenn, Hershel, and Beth were there, among others." I told her. She looked shocked. "Hershel says he's proud of you, Beth misses you and Glenn said that he will always be with you, no matter what." I finished. Tears ran down both of our faces. "I know that sounds-" I started to say but she embraced me instead.

"I believe you." She replied. 

We broke apart and I looked at Hershel, who was sleeping. "He looks a lot like Glenn." I laughed. She smiled. "Where are we going to find baby food? And cribs. The saviors burned everything when they returned to the Sanctuary." I told her. 

"I guess we'll just have to keep going on runs. Jesus has one crib and I know Judith has one and she'll be old enough to sleep in a bed in a couple of years. " Maggie explained. I nodded. I heard voices from behind me and turned around. Enid was surrounded by Hilltop members. 

We climbed off the wall carefully and ran over to them. "What's going on?" Maggie asked. Rick and the others filed out of the house. 

"We're going to help you join the fight against the saviors. Even if Gregory tells us not to, we can't afford to lose any more of our supplies to them." One of them replied. 

Jesus smiled at Rick. "Hilltop will rally behind you." 


	58. New Members

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group begins preparations for what is ahead, but who will stand behind them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is the introduction to some vital characters, so I hope you enjoy it! :)  
> Sorry for the delay on the chapter, by the way, I had to study

Chapter 4 (Season 7 Part 2) - New Members

It had been 2 days since I had woken up. Abraham wasn't talking much, and he went away for hours at a time, no one knew why. Apart from that, it felt like I had fully recovered and the blood that I was given was starting to finally kick in. 

I was standing outside Hilltop's infirmary when I saw Maggie up on the wall get a message on her walkie talkie. I tuned mine in to hear what was going on. 

"Maggie, tell Daryl, Enid, Alana, and Michonne to go into Hilltop's study, Rosita, Jesus, Abraham, and I have something to show you all." Rick's voice came over the speaker. I looked up at Maggie who was making her way down off the wall carefully while holding Hershel. 

"Maggie, I heard what Rick said, I'll go get Daryl, he's with Michonne so you can go and get Enid, we'll meet up in the study," I explained, she nodded and we went our separate ways. I entered the infirmary to find Daryl holding Beth, while Michonne was cleaning her sword. "Hey, Rick says we are needed in the study." I told them. They both exited the room, as we walked into the large house and I up the stairs I smiled at Daryl and Beth together, they were so sweet that it warmed my heart with happiness. When we entered, everyone was huddled around a table that had a map on it. Rick was holding a walkie talkie. 

"Alright, Morgan spoke to me over the walkie talkie. He and Carol have found a place, a camp, that can help us." Rick explained, pointing to his walkie talkie. 

"Carol?" I asked they hadn't seen her since she was captured by the Saviors, she had been rescued when Maggie had been rescued, but she had run away to be by herself ever since. "She's back?" 

"Yeah, Morgan found her, injured. Then a group found them and are nursing her back to health. We should go, but we need a volunteer to stay here and help with the guard duty." Rick asked, looking around expectantly. Jesus nodded. "Ok, Jesus will stay behind. I'll drive us to the location Morgan said in the RV. We leave in 5 minutes." Rick ordered. Everyone filed out and I gave Beth to Daryl while I went to get my bag and weapons. I swapped Daryl his crossbow for Beth so that I could carry her. We piled into the RV as Rick started the engine, we sped off down the road. 

"We need to keep an eye out for baby food." I warned Daryl. He nodded.

"We also need to keep an eye out for adult food. We're running even lower back at Alexandria." Rosita sighed. 

"Let's just hope that the new people will be kind and lend us some food and supplies, that's all we can ever ask of them," Rick said from the front. 

When we arrived and had got out of the RV, we were greeted by a couple of men that were wearing bulletproof vests and holding guns. "Welcome to The Kingdom. King Ezekiel awaits your presence." One of them said, opening the large brown gate. 

"King?" Michonne whispered. 

I gasped, the view was amazing, there were women, children, and men all laughing and smiling, planting various vegetables, there were tables everywhere that had people washing laundry and cutting up food. There was the smell of cooked food lingering in the air around us. Suddenly there was a familiar voice from beside us. 

"Hello! It's so good to see you." Carol came limping over to us. She hugged everyone, but when she came to Maggie and me she paused, looking shocked. "Wow! What are their names?" She asked, beaming.

"Mine's Hershel and Alana's is Beth." Maggie explained. 

"I'm surprised Daryl didn't call his lil'asskicker number 2." Carol laughed. We all smiled at her. It was so good to see her after so long. "You have to meet Ezekiel. Oh sorry, King Ezekiel. He has a pet, and he may shock you at first, but you'll get used to it." She explained. Morgan walked up from behind her and smiled. Beside him was a man that had thick grey dreadlocks and was wearing a long cloak that went to his feet, he was also wearing a bulletproof vest. He wore a massive smile. I gasped as a huge tiger came bounding out of nowhere and sat down with a thud next to their owner.

"Don't be afraid. This is Shiva. I heard you had a vet surgeon in your midst, she'll be very pleased to know. I am King Ezekiel, the leader of our Kingdom." He said in a booming voice. Shiva purred loudly next to him. We stood there silent in shock. "We heard that you needed some help with the Saviors. " Ezekiel said. Rick nodded and they walked off together talking about the Saviors and Negan. A man wearing a bulletproof vest came over to us looking friendly. 

"Hello, I'm Jerry and I am here to help you on behalf of Ezekiel." Jerry glanced down at the babies and beamed. "You'll be pleased to know that we are currently creating blueprints for a small nursery. We have the baby food already and don't worry you can help yourself to your own food as well." He smiled. 

I looked over at Daryl, who was smiling. "This is amazing!" I squealed excitedly. He laughed and stroked Beth's hair before kissing my cheek. 

"This way for baby food." Jerry smiled, leading us away. 

We finally could have a chance at a life. Beth and Hershel had a chance after all. 


	59. A Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of the group must go back to Alexandria, but others need to stay in the Kingdom, will they join the fight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 5 (Season 7 Part 2) - A Threat

After what felt like hours of being introduced to the community, I saw Ezekiel step onto a platform alongside Rick. Everyone surrounded them, so we followed. I rocked Beth to sleep so that she wouldn't cry in the middle of what was about to be said. Ezekiel stepped forward.

"First, I want to welcome the Alexandrians to our Kingdom, you will probably have already been introduced to them, but I want to say how happy we are to have you here." He paused as Shiva sat down with a thud next to him. He smiled and continued,'Today is a day we will all remember, today is the day that the Kingdom allies with Alexandria!" He shouted, proudly. The crowd shouted back at him happily. I smiled at Rick, who smiled back at me, but then I realized that all the shouting had woken up Beth. 

"Daryl, I'm going to go and feed Beth. I'll meet you back here." I whispered to Daryl. He nodded and stroked Beth's hair before looking back at Rick and Ezekiel. I walked over to a private alleyway, where no one was and fed Beth. Once I had finished, I started to walk back when I heard voices. "I thought everyone was supposed to be at the speech," I whispered to Beth, who squealed at me happily. I leaned against the wall and pressed my ear close to the back door of a house. 

"I need to get rid of her." A low voice said.

"Woah, slow down, who are you talking about? What are you thinking of doing? " An unfamiliar voice replied.

"Carol. One of the Alexandrians. Wherever she goes people die, and I can't have that here." A low voice replied. I gasped, but before I could go in there, my walkie talkie started speaking. I ran over to a nearby building and listened carefully.

"Everyone meet in the main building. Where Ezekiel is currently heading." Ricks's voice spoke. I glanced up and saw Ezekiel heading into an old theatre, I saw everyone following him. I made sure Beth was ok, before walking quickly away from the building, I looked back and saw two people exiting the building. One of them was an angry-looking man wearing a bulletproof vest, the other was a concerned-looking Jerry. I burned their looks into my mind and made sure that I would remember what they looked like. I turned back and walked into the theatre. 

It was huge, there were multiple seats everywhere and a stage where Ezekiel sat in a large throne, with Shiva sitting patiently next to him. I saw that everyone was there, some were sitting on the stage, others standing, and others were sitting in the seats. I sat next to Daryl, who was leaning against the wall and gave him Beth. He smiled at me and kissed me on the forehead. 

"Ok, now that everyone is here, I have received a message that Gabriel has stolen supplies from Alexandria and is on the run, Ezekiel is going to lend us some food, but we need to get our remainders back for when Negan comes back. We need to leave, as soon as possible but not everyone has to. Daryl, Maggie, Carol, Morgan, Alana you all stay here, we will go back to Alexandria. But don't worry, we will come back for you." Rick explained, I nodded.

"Wait, where's Glenn and Sasha?" Carol asked, looking around. I looked up at Rick, I gave him a knowing look and he nodded at me. 

"Carol, Alana will explain. Let's go." Rick ordered, the group that was going to Alexandria exited the theatre, while we stayed behind. 

"Alana, what's going on?" Carol asked, confused. I glanced at Maggie and Daryl, who were looking at the ground uncomfortably. I sat down next to her and sighed, I then explained everything that happened up until that point. Maggie left the room with Hershel when I spoke about Glenn, and Daryl left with Beth when I started to explain what happened in the cave. At the end of it, she was speechless. I had forgotten that Ezekiel was still in the room. And when I had finished he came over and sat next to Carol, putting hand comfortingly on her shoulder. She reached up for his hand. Ezekiel nodded at me and got up to leave, Shiva bounded towards me, knocking me to the floor. She licked my face excitedly. I stroked her head and she got up. "Hey. How about I give you a checkup?" I whispered. 

About half an hour later, I walked Shiva back to the Theatre, when I entered I saw Daryl, Maggie, and Ezekiel talking. Ezekiel was holding both Hershel and Beth in his arms, which made me laugh. "Ezekiel, Shiva's all good. Her health is good." I told him. He smiled at me gratefully. I sat down next to Daryl and rested my head on his shoulder. But then my head snapped back up when I remembered what I had seen earlier that day.

"Alana, what's wrong?" Maggie asked, confused. 

"There's someone here that's going to try and kill Carol." I whispered. 

"What did they look like?" Ezekiel asked, getting up onto his feet and waking Shiva up. I described what he looked like and Ezekiel nodded. "I know who you are talking about. Excuse me." Ezekiel started towards the exit, but I ran over to him. 

"Wait, I want to help, what are you going to do?" I asked, but he held up his hand.

"Alana, I appreciate what you have done, but I am with Carol now. I must deal with this." He explained, I nodded and watched as he exited the building. I heard an engine sound and rushed out of the theatre, followed by Maggie and Daryl. I watched as Michonne pulled up in a car. She got out and walked over to us.

"Where is the rest of you?" I asked confused.

"They are dealing with Alexandria at the moment. They sent me to pick you up. Rick asks that two of you defend Hilltop, for a couple of days while we fix the problem at Alexandria." She explained. Daryl handed Beth over to me.

"Maggie and I will go to Hilltop on my bike. Don't worry, Alana, I'll be fine. I want Beth to see her home." He replied. I smiled at him, he kissed me then kissed Beth on the cheek before heading over to his motorcycle. Maggie hugged me and climbed on the back, they sped off into the distance. 

"Alana, make sure you have your walkie talkie on you at all times, that how we will all keep in touch." Michonne told me, as we climbed in the car. I nodded and held it in my free hand. "Are you excited for Beth to meet everyone back home?" She added, starting the engine. 

"Very." I replied. 


	60. Listen to Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group is split up, but will they all survive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to try and post at least one chapter a day. But it is likely I will do more than one in a day. I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 7 Part 2) - Listen to Me

As we drove through the gates of Alexandria, I gasped, it had been so long since I had seen the place, and last time I had been there, I was an entirely different person. 

I got out of the car with my bag and weapons, while holding Beth. Carl saw me and ran over, looking confused. "Dad said that you had something to show me but- " He gestured towards Beth looking shocked. I smiled at him.

"Meet Beth. I'm excited to show her to Judith." I told him, he gave me a little smile and stroked Beth's hair.

"She looks a lot like you, except she has Daryl's eyes." He whispered. I smiled.

"Thank you, Carl. She's going to get to grow up with one of the best cousins ever." I beamed, he smiled, before walking away. I walked over to the house but was stopped by Rick. "Hey, Rick. What's going on?" I asked him.

"I'm sorry I don't mean to trouble you as you have just got back, but Gabriel and Eugene have been taken by Negan. To make bullets. And I'm quite sure they're intended for us. In the morning, we need to begin training, getting our heads back in the game. Ezekiel gave us some food, I left it out on the table for you." He explained. I smiled at him appreciatively. As I stepped into the house, I looked down and saw Beth taking it all in with her big blue eyes. 

"This is your home now, my love." I whispered to her, as I walked over to the table and took an apple. I then climbed the stairs and carefully stepped into Judith's room. She was sleeping. I smiled and thought to myself that I shouldn't wake her up. I stepped back out, and into my room. I gasped when I saw a beautiful wooden crib standing at the foot of the bed. There were blankets, and I saw the teddy bear that I had found on one of the runs tucked in carefully. It brought tears to my eyes.

"Do you like it?" A familiar voice said from behind me, I turned around and saw Abraham standing at the door. He had a sad smile. "I made it from wood then painted it." He walked over to it.

"Abraham, it's beautiful. Thank you so much." I whispered.

"It helped me get my mind off things." He sat down in a chair, so I sat down next to him. "Can I hold her?" He asked. I nodded and carefully passed Beth over to him. He stroked her cheek comfortingly. "She's beautiful. She's very lucky with who her parents are, Alana. I hope you know that." He sighed. Something was wrong, I could feel it.

"Abraham? What are you not telling me?" I asked, nervously. He looked with his sad blue eyes, that always had life in them, even if it was anger there was a twinkle in his eye. But that was gone. 

"I'm ok. I have something to do. And I don't know if I'll make it out of there." He whispered.

"Abraham, I know what you're thinking. Don't do it. Wait for us to go as a team. It's gonna be soon, I promise." I told him. He nodded, he touched my shoulder briefly, before leaving the room. I was so worried for him so I picked Beth up and walked over to the window, I watched as he put on a fake smile and spoke to one of the construction men. 

I sighed and carefully placed Beth in her crib, where she played with her bear before falling asleep quickly. I sat down on my bed with a huff. But before I could close my eyes, I thought of something. I picked up my walkie talkie and spoke into it. "Daryl? Are you there?" I asked, hopefully. 

"Hey, how are you? How's Beth? Is she liking Alexandria?" He asked. I could hear the smile from his voice, which made me smile.

"Abraham built a beautiful crib for her, I can't wait for you to see it. She's sleeping in it right now." I told him. There was a pause, but then he replied. 

"It sounds amazing." In the background of his voice, I heard gunshots, which filled me with panic.

"Daryl? What's happening?" I asked, shouting frantically.

"Daryl? Is everything ok at Hilltop?" Ricks's voice came on over the speaker.

"The saviors are attacking. We're going to hide out. We'll be fine, we have enough food and water to last us a week." Daryl replied, in a quiet voice.

"Oh my god, Daryl. I'm coming, just wait." I whispered, reaching for my gun and sword.

"No Alana." Rick's voice reappeared. "We can't risk your life, Daryl said he'll be fine. We can get over there in about half a day. Don't worry. I met a group called the Scavengers, who say they will join us they just need more guns and ammunition." Rick explained. Suddenly, Tara's voice came online.

"Hey guys, um, well you know how I was gone, for like a long time, well I found a place. It's called Oceanside. They made me promise not to tell you guys, but I think they could help." She told us.

"Ok, we'll see. Let's have a quick meeting. Our main mission is to help Hilltop." Rick said, in a quiet voice so that no saviors would be alerted of Daryl's position. Just as I began to reach for the door handle, I heard voices over the walkie talkie.

"They're retreating. You don't need to come for us. They are done with Hilltop. We can come home now. I'll give it a couple of hours before we leave to make sure everyone is ok on this end." Daryl explained. I gave a sigh of relief and held Beth's hand. She wrapped her tiny hand around one of my fingers.

"I'll see you soon." 


	61. Oceanside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group travel to oceanside, but will they be welcomed with open arms?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are two more chapters after this that will be mainly action, so this one is mainly dialogue. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 7 (Season 7 Part 2) - Oceanside

I heard the familiar rumble of Daryl's engine and ran over to the gate. Rosita pulled it open to reveal Daryl and Maggie both on the motorbike. Daryl had a cut under his eye. He drove in and parked up, leaning the bike against the wall. Maggie climbed off holding Hershel. "I'm going to take him into my room, he needs some sleep. We both do." Maggie told me, before walking over to the house. I hugged Daryl tightly. Then held his head in my hands, so that I could look at his cut.

"What happened?" I asked him, walking him over to the infirmary. 

"An asshole came up behind me. I'm ok though." He sighed. I stitched the cut up and we made our way over to the house. I opened our bedroom door and he gasped when he saw Beth in the crib. "Wow." He whispered.

"I know." I whispered back. "It's Abraham that we have to thank for this." I sighed. He smiled and stroked Beth's hair. She was sleeping soundly. "We're going to Oceanside. But I'm going to take Beth with us. I don't want to leave her here. Especially considering that the saviors can attack at any moment. Just like they did at Hilltop." I explained, sliding my weapons into their holsters and picking my bag up. 

"That reminds me. Jesus found this, he gave it to me before we left." Daryl pulled out a piece of pink cloth that had safety pins on one of the sides. "Here, look." He tied it around me, and carefully placed Beth in it, so that she was sleeping peacefully against my chest, and I didn't have to hold her. 

"Wow, thank you." I whispered. He smiled and picked up his crossbow. "When are we going to be able to sleep, I'm getting jealous of our baby daughter." We both laughed and walked down the stairs and out of the house. The group was waiting at the gates with various cars. Daryl climbed onto his motorbike and I climbed on the back. 

"Everyone, follow Tara's car. She knows where we're going." Rick explained. We all nodded and the gate was pulled open. I heard a voice from behind me and turned around. Abraham was standing there holding a hammer.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna stay back here and help reinforce the wall." He told us, everyone else nodded and turned back to the gate, but I stayed. 

"Abraham, promise me you're not going to do what I think you're about to do." I whispered. He gave me a sad smile as Daryl started the engine and we sped down the road. "Son of a bitch." I whispered, looking back with worry. "Maggie, Rosita keep an eye on Abraham for me," I said into the walkie talkie.

"Alright. Will do." Rosita replied, over the speaker. I put the walkie talkie away and faced forward. We were barreling down the road, so I held Beth, who was somehow still asleep. 

After half an hour we arrived. The entrance didn't have a gate like the other places, instead, there were two women holding assault rifles, and I saw more in the trees. They raised their guns when they saw us. "Stay right there." One of them said. We got out of our vehicles and stood, not holding any weapons. "I've got people out here. They are armed but they don't seem like a threat." One of them said into an earpiece. Minutes later, more guards came and somewhere children. "Tara? You promised!" A young woman whispered to Tara who shook her head guiltily. 

"We need your help. But we can help you in return." Rick raised his hands, in a peace offering. The leader walked over to him slowly but stopped when she looked over and saw Beth. Her eyes narrowed. 

"Follow me." She sighed, turning back to their camp. When we entered, I heard the sound of waves rolling back and forth, and the sound of children laughing. When we walked in, I saw only women, some were practicing their shooting, others were cutting fish and getting them prepared to cook. Others were making fishing nets. The woman led us into a small house and we sat down at a large meeting table. "I am Natania and this is Cyndie." She gestured to the young woman that had whispered to Tara. "Tara washed up on our shores, and Cyndie kindly helped her get back to her feet. We only want peace, and to be alone. A solitary camp. We have already had our fair share of trouble." Natania explained. "I would feel more comfortable if we spoke one leader to another." She said, eyeing us all up and down and her eyes occasionally lingering on the weapons. Rick nodded and looked over to us. We got up and left the room. 

"We should introduce ourselves. Or yourselves, I've already introduced myself." Tara laughed, walking over to a little girl who was dancing in the sand excitedly. I walked over to some women that were fixing their fishing nets. They dropped the net when they saw Beth and I. They looked shocked, which made me nervous. 

"Is everything ok?" I asked, looking at them while holding Beth's hand. 

"We're sorry, we just haven't seen a baby, since, well yeah." One of them sighed. They picked their nets back up and continued with their work. 

"My name's Alana. It's nice to meet you all. This is Beth." I waved Beth's hand for her. They smiled. "Can I help with anything?" I asked, looking at everyone working. 

"No, we've got it. But thanks for asking." One of them replied, smiling kindly. 

"I have a question, but I'm not sure if you will be offended if I ask," I said, carefully. 

"Is it about why there are no boys and men here?" One of the women sighed. I nodded and they started to explain.

"It's ok, we get asked that a lot. About 6 months ago, Negan and his men came over here and killed all of the males at the camp. Now we have to gather supplies for them." They explained, I gasped.

"That's horrible!" I whispered, and they nodded in agreement. Before I could say anything else, Rick and Natania exited, looking pleased.

"Oceanside will join Alexandria against the Saviors. Everyone at this camp hates Negan, and we would be happy to help kill him." Natania smiled. Rick was smiling too, which meant Oceanside could be trusted. 

"Oceanside has agreed to giving us some of their guns so that we can get the Scavengers onboard. Let's leave before it gets dark, I want to drop the guns off on the way home." Rick explained, climbing into his car. I clambered onto the back of Daryl's motorcycle and looked back waving as drove off. 

"We're leaving Oceanside now. We are gonna make a quick drop off at the Scavengers place, but we will be home soon." I said into the walkie talkie, static was all that replied, so I spoke again. "Rick, I'm not getting a reply from Alexandria, do you think everything is ok?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, the sooner we get to the Scavengers, the sooner we can get back home." He replied. I put my walkie talkie away and held Beth against my chest. 

We arrived a massive dumpster site, where two guards were waiting at a small gate. "We have the guns." Rick said. They nodded and opened the gate. I gasped when I saw that half of the people walking around were completely naked. 

"What the heck?" I whispered, trying to avert my gaze and covering up Beth's innocent eyes.

"They do things a little differently over here." Rick sighed, walking over to a naked woman who was painting. "This is Jadis, the leader of the scavengers." Rick gestured. 

"You brought guns?" She asked, without turning away from the easel. 

"We did. So does this mean you will fight with Alexandria?" Rick asked she nodded in reply. 

"Now leave." She whispered bluntly. We got on our vehicles and made our way home.

"They were a little bit strange." I said into the walkie talkie.

"Tell me about it." Michonne replied. 

We arrived at Alexandria but something felt different as the gate was pulled open. People were looking frantic and worried. We parked inside and I clambered off. Running up to Rosita, who was looking around nervously. "What's wrong, Rosita?" I asked. 

"Gabriel and Eugene are being held captive by Negan, and Abraham has gone to kill Negan himself." She replied.

"Shit." 


	62. War Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The penultimate chapter of the season, who will die and who will the survivors be able to live with themselves?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The penultimate chapter, so this one is mainly action, and I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 8 (Season 7 Part 2) - War Cry

I stood there in complete silence. "I told you to watch Abraham, what happened?" I whispered. 

"I'm sorry, I was busy searching for Eugene and Gabriel." Rosita stressed.

"And he thought it was a perfect moment to leave. When no one was looking." I sighed, running over to where everyone else was standing, taking in the news. 

"I know where he is." I said, running over to the gate, I pulled it open but gasped when I saw what was behind the gate. Negan was standing there, there were guns aimed at all of us. There were trucks and tanks, and rocket launchers all aimed at Alexandria. 

"Hello there. It's nice to see you again. How's the baby?" Negan smiled. Daryl pulled me back from the gate so that I stumbled to his side. I lifted Beth out of her carrier and held her in my arms. "Alright then." Negan sighed when he didn't get a reply. He pointed towards a coffin that was standing upright. "You see this. This is someone that you know. He tried to kill me, but he failed, as I'm sure you all know. I will give him to you if you surrender and put down all of this shit." He smiled. 

"You have Abraham?" Rosita whispered. Negan smiled, and then raised his hand in the air.

"He tried to get past all of this. What an id-" Negan was cut off when something fell on top of him. The coffin had opened and a walker had fallen out of it. Before I could run to put Beth safe somewhere, shock paralyzed me. The walker was Abraham. Everything went silent. I heard screams in the distance, but they were muffled. I felt myself drop to my knees.

"Abraham." I whispered. I thought of when I had first met him, and how angry he always was. But he was only hiding the fact that he was basically a massive teddy bear. Tears streamed like a river off my face. There were gunshots all around me and Beth's cries pulled me back to reality. I got to my feet and ran. 

"Where am I gonna put you?" I whispered. I dodged bullets until I finally made it back to the house. I ran up the stairs and into the room. I carefully placed Beth in the crib and ran to Judith's room. She was standing up looking confused. "Hey, little one. Come here." I whispered, picking her up. I placed her in the crib next to Judith. Before leaving I kissed them both on the forehead. "I'll see you soon." I said, before locking the door behind me. I pulled out my gun and sword and ran out of the house. I gasped when I saw the Scavengers shooting at us with the Saviors. "Assholes." I said under my breath. 

I dodged bullets and ran over to someone that was shooting at Daryl. I drove the sword through their chest and they fell to the ground. "Are you ok?" He asked me. I nodded. "Where are the kids?" He asked me while killing a man with his crossbow. 

"Judith and Beth are locked and in our room. I'm not sure where Hershel is though." I sighed. He nodded.

"Be safe, I've got your back." He smiled, before running off into a group of armed soldiers. 

"I love him." I laughed to myself. I never liked killing. It reminded me of what happened back at the prison. But they just kept running at me and I swung my sword at them, they just continued running at me. "Stop, please!" I shouted as someone that looked like a teenager tried to shoot me. I shot them in the head. After what felt like hours, I was standing on a pile of dead bodies, covered in blood. I climbed off the mountain and ran towards where Michonne was fighting off two men at the same time. "Have you seen Rick?" I asked, but before she could reply I felt a gun against the back of my head and a familiar laugh. Carl was standing next to me, with a gun at his head as well. "Don't move Carl. I've got this." I whispered, before reaching for my gun which I had dropped to the floor. But it was knocked out of my hand. I heard the familiar laugh, that made my blood boil with anger. Negan stood in front of me, swinging Lucille around.

"Hello there! Well, this has all gone to shit, am I right? You know, I heard that you had given birth in a cave! You are one badass person, but you are also very hard to kill. But I think I have managed to get you this time." A smile curled on his lips. "But I'm going to make Carl die at the same time so that you aren't lonely down there." He smiled, gesturing for one of his men to come and knock Carl to the ground. 

"Don't worry, I won't be lonely." I smiled a fake smile at him. He lifted Lucille above my head and I closed my eyes, bracing myself. But the hit never came. I looked up and saw that Negan was looking around, confused. I heard a crash and Shiva came bounding towards me, she completely destroyed the man that was aiming the gun at Carl's head. I got to my feet and smiled at Shiva. I watched proudly as members of Kingdom and Hilltop came rushing in, shooting at the Saviors and Scavengers. 

"Alexandria will not fall today!" Ezekiel shouted. 

"Damn right." I laughed. I swung my sword around until the pile of dead bodies started to grow again, I tried not to think about it. Suddenly I heard a baby crying, which made me freeze. A knife drove into my stomach, but it didn't go deep, I let out a shriek. Someone pushed me to the ground and held my limbs to the floor so that I couldn't move. I reached for my knife in my shoe and drove into their skull. But they fell on top of me. More and more bodies started to fall on top of me until I was completely covered. I gasped for air, but none came to me. The weight of the bodies pushed me down so that all I could move was my hand. I moved my wrist around as much as I could to try and draw attention but it was no use. The air in my lungs was becoming thinner and thinner. "Shiiiiit!" I shouted, but it came out muffled. Something landed on the pile on top of me that knocked the remainder of the oxygen I had, out of me. I was suffocating. My whole body went rigid as I tried to reach for air but it was no use. Suddenly, I saw a glimpse of light. Fire. The pile on top of me was being set on fire. My heart began to race. I tried to race through the possible ways of getting out of there, but none seemed likely. 

"Fight, street girl. This isn't the end." Merle's voice filled my head, giving me strength. I felt the heat starting to warm up. It reached my prosthetic, but I didn't feel any pain yet. With all of my strength, I turned my head to the side and lifted my wrist so that I could create a hole. The searing heat reached my thigh, which made me almost pass out, but I continued to try and create a hole. 

As soon as the hole had been created, I gasped for as much air as possible. "Daryl! Help me! Anyone, please!" I shouted. I heard some shuffling from outside and the pile began to feel lighter. The heat was leaving. The weight gradually allowed my ribs to expand, and someone pulled me out of the death pile by my shoulders. I gasped for more air as my lungs ached painfully. I looked up and saw Daryl's face staring at me with shock. I smiled at him. "Thank you, my love." I reached up for his face. He smiled, but then looked at my abdomen. 

"Shit. You're bleeding. Tell me what to do." He said, words rushing out of him.

"Help me over to the infirmary. I can do the rest. Where are all the gunshots?" I asked, looking around. 

"The Saviors and Scavengers both retreated. We're safe now." He whispered into my ear, he carried me over to the infirmary, and carefully put me down on one of the beds. I lifted my shirt up and cleaned the wound before stitching it up carefully. I winced, but I had been through more painful things. Daryl was looking out of the window. I got up and stood next to him. There were bodies lining the floor. There were fires and people were crying and screaming. There were no more gunshots only pain.


	63. Didn't Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale of season 7. Will Alexandria be able to recover from the hit?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long to upload, my wifi has been funky. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 9 (Season 7 Part 2) - Didn't happen

I stood with everyone else in Alexandria in the gardens. I was holding Beth in my arms and Daryl was standing next to me, alongside Rick who was holding Judith. We watched as Abraham was buried. Rosita cried, everyone cried. 

I didn't cry though. I knew that he was now with Sasha, and he was happier, but if I said that to other people they wouldn't believe me. All of the bodies that weren't Alexandrians were burned before people began to rebuild the entry area. All of the houses had been left untouched. 

I walked with Daryl and Beth back to the house. "I will always be grateful for what Abraham did. Not just the crib, but for everything." I whispered to Daryl. He nodded in agreement. Just as we climbed up the porch steps, Aaron came up behind us.

"Oh hey, Aaron. How are you?" I asked, with a slight smile. I hadn't spoken to Aaron since he had brought us here into Alexandria because he always happened to be on runs, or for me to be on runs when he's home.

"Hey. Seeing as we haven't spoken much, we thought that we should catch up. Eric and I want to make you all spaghetti and we can talk over dinner." Aaron explained, a little awkwardly. I glanced over at Daryl who was playing with Beth. I looked back at Aaron and smiled widely.

"We'd love to. Just come over to the house whenever you're ready for us to come over. Thank you, Aaron." I replied, he nodded and walked to his house. I picked Beth up and Daryl followed me into the house, we walked into our room and carefully placed Beth in her crib. 

"I don't know if you heard, but Aaron invited us for some dinner later." I told Daryl, sitting down on the bed with a sigh. He looked up and nodded. 

"Sounds good." He read my face carefully. "You know, I can look after Beth while you can go outside for a bit." He stroked my cheek comfortingly.

"I won't be long, I just want to check on Maggie. I haven't seen Hershel for a while." I smiled, he nodded and I walked down the stairs and out of the house. It had begun to rain, but I carried on walking. I saw Maggie bouncing Hershel on her lap and laughing. They seemed happy so I didn't bother them, instead, I saw Rick sitting on a bench alone, looking at the ground. I sat down next to him. "So you're sitting on a bench alone and in the rain. Your sadness is screaming." I smiled, he smiled back but then frowned. "Rick, what's wrong?" I asked him. 

"We lost so many people. I know we have lost people a lot before, but I know that there will be more deaths to come, it's not over yet. And we lost Abraham this time, who are we going to lose next?" He sighed, looking back down at the ground. 

"Rick, Abraham didn't die in vain, he helped us, plus he's in a better place now with someone he loves, trust me. Just because we lost him, doesn't mean that we will lose people every time we fight the Saviors. Besides, we have more people than them. We have Oceanside, Hilltop, and Kingdom on our side, and who knows once the Saviors are gone, we may get to even go to sleep for once." I smiled. He brought me in for a hug. 

"Thank you, Alana. It means a lot." We broke apart and he looked at me smiling.

"I've got to go, you promise you will get something to eat and shelter from the rain? I hear that Judith has been missing you." I said getting up off the bench, he nodded and followed me over to the house, where Daryl was waiting holding Beth in her arms. I gasped when I saw that she was wearing a small dress. I squealed excitedly. "She's so beautiful!" I whispered, stroking her dark hair. Her big blue eyes looked up at me curiously. Rick and Daryl both smiled. 

Aaron entered the house smiling, and I nodded at him, understanding. We all ran from the rain into Aaron's house, where Eric was standing. He smiled pleasantly at us and offered his hand, which I shook. "I know we haven't met formally, but I'm Eric. It's nice to see you all." He laughed. We were led into a small but stylish dining room. There were plates lying on the table, waiting. "The food will be ready in a couple of minutes. In the meantime, Daryl, Aaron can show you the paintwork he finished on your motorbike." Eric suggested. Daryl nodded and handed Beth over to me, then they walked into the garage.

Eric gestured for me to sit down at the table and I did, with Beth sitting on my lap. "Aaron has told me a lot about you. Good things. I have seen you before, I just have never had the chance to talk to you. Sorry about that." He sighed. 

"It's ok. It would have been difficult for you to talk to us, seeing as we haven't been here for a while." I said awkwardly. He frowned remembering where I had gone, but I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and smiled. Beth reached for one of the butter knives but I moved it away from her hand. 

"She already wants to be like her parents." Eric laughed, getting up from the table. "The food is ready now. I'll go and get Aaron and Daryl." He exited the room, leaving Beth and me alone. 

"Are you sleepy yet? It's ok, we can go home soon." I whispered. She giggled happily. "Not so tired after all." I laughed. Eric, Aaron, and Daryl came in and Daryl sat next to me.

Aaron went to get the food while Eric sat down with us. The food was placed down and we began to eat. I helped Beth with her bottle, but she didn't seem hungry. But when I looked up I saw that Daryl had completely devoured his entire plate. 

After half an hour, everyone had finished and we had made our way home. Beth was fast asleep in her crib and Daryl and I were sitting in bed. "Are you excited to finally be able to sleep?" He asked. 

"Yeah, I -" I was cut off by my walkie talkie. I picked it up off from the bedside table and listened. It was Maggie's voice.

"That wasn't the last fight we'll have. They raided the Kingdom. Everyone is still alive, but let's just say the nursery's construction might be put off for a while." I sighed, getting up from the bed. 

"I would have thought I'd get used to not sleeping anymore." 


	64. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of season 8, will they be able to defeat the Saviors?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The start of season 8. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 8 Part 1) - Red

It had been a long month. We had to find ammo and guns, many. 

I stepped out of the house, everyone was packing their ammunition into the back of their cars. I walked up to them, sliding my sword and knife into their holster, but keeping my gun in my hand. It was starting. We were finally going to take out Negan and the Saviors.

We all got together as Rick laid out a map on the bonnet of a car so that we could go through the plan for a final time. "Ok, so, one group goes to Kingdom, one group goes to Hilltop and one group stays behind to help protect Alexandria. The leaders of the Kingdom group will be Carol, when you get there, and Alana and Michonne. The leaders of the Hilltop group are Maggie, Daryl and I. Rosita and Tara will stay behind with the rest of you to look after Alexandria. We will keep in touch on the walkie talkies. Is everyone ready?" He looked around. Everyone nodded. "Alright, let's do this." He replied, packing the map up. I hugged Daryl before walking over to the car where Michonne was already waiting. There 5 soldiers from the Kingdom that had come over to help us set up, and we were going to take them home and make sure they were all ready for taking down Negan. Our car was at the front of the queue so we were leading. The gate was pulled open and I started the engine. Pressing down on the pedal, we sped off down the road towards the Kingdom. 

"Michonne, I get a bad feeling. Not like we're going to lose, but we're going to lose so many people. Maybe even the people we love, or ourselves." I whispered, staring down the road. I looked in the car's side mirror and watched Daryl on his motorbike and a few cars travel down a separate road towards Hilltop. I heard Michonne sigh from next to me. I looked over to her and she was looking at me interested. 

"We are about to go into a war. We cannot afford to have low positivity." She said looking back at the road in front of us. I nodded and did the same. 

We finally arrived at the Kingdom and the gates opened, there wasn't anyone at the gates to welcome us, which was strange. We parked up and got out. The people we were dropping off thanked us and walked off. "I think Carol and Morgan will be over in the theatre waiting for us." I told Michonne, and we walked over. It was strangely silent, the Kingdom was usually vibrant and happy but it just seemed dead. I pushed the doors open and was welcomed by a hug. I realized it was Carol and hugged her back. "Hey, Carol. Are you ready?" I asked she nodded. Carol was going to stay at the Kingdom to protect it, but we were taking Morgan back to Alexandria. "Do you know where Ezekiel is? Rick has asked to talk to him about his supplies in case he doesn't have enough for the wars." I explained. She nodded and gestured up some stairs. I saw Michonne leading Morgan back to the cars, so I quickly ran up the stairs. Ezekiel was sitting by the window. "Hey, Ezekiel. Is everything ok?" I asked tentatively. 

"Oh hello, Alana. Everything is ok. Everyone is scared, and I know that we have a chance of winning, but I can't help but worry about my people." He sighed, looking over at me. I frowned at him, but then he suddenly smiled. "I have something to show you. Please don't freak out." He whispered, gesturing for me to enter the room. I entered and saw that he was gripping a small black box in his hands. I gasped, then he opened it and I gasped some more. There was a ring shining. "I'm planning on proposing to Carol. Do you think she will be ok with that?" He asked, in a hushed voice. I was in shock, but then I beamed excitedly.

"Oh my god, Ezekiel! It's a bit quick but I know she loves you. I'm sure she will say yes. Do tell me when I return." I smiled. He beamed and nodded appreciatively at me. I sighed, remembering what I had come for. "Rick wants me to make sure you have everything you need for the wars." I told him. He nodded, his smile had gone. I looked down at the floor sadly and walked down the stairs. 

"Keep in touch." I smiled at Carol and pointed at her walkie talkie. She laughed and nodded. Michonne and Morgan were waiting at the car patiently. When I arrived, Michonne was looking different. She seemed determined. "Is everything ok?" I asked, reaching for my sword. 

"Yes. Maggie has said that Gregory tried to get Hilltop on the side of Negan but no one followed him." She sighed. 

"What a douche." I sighed, getting into the car. I heard her laugh as she got into the car next to me. "Hey, Morgan. It's good to see you again." I said to him, looking into the mirror. He smiled and nodded. Before I started the engine, my walkie talkie turned on.

"Alana, we're ready on this end. Are you ready?" Daryl's voice came on, making me instantly smile. I looked over at Michonne, who nodded.

"We're ready. We're still at the Kingdom but it won't take us long to get there. You have the hoard?" I asked. 

"Yeah, they are all following us. Find the truck by the side of the road and drive it into the outpost's walls with the walkman plugged into the speakers. As soon as you have done that, run. And get on my bike. Be safe. This is so dangerous, do you have to do it?" He sighed. 

"Daryl, I'm going to be fine, I promise. I love you." I smiled. He laughed and the walkie talkie turned off. I started the engine and exited the Kingdom. 

After 10 minutes, we saw the truck parked at the side of the road. It was only me that was driving it. "As soon as I leave, you leave Michonne. I'll get on Daryl's motorcycle. I'll see you at Alexandria. " I said, getting out of the car. She nodded. I climbed into the truck and connected the yellow walkman to the truck. I put on Daryl's favorite song and turned the volume way down so that I could turn it up when I got there. The engine started and I drove toward the outpost. I saw the hoard coming towards the outpost, following Daryl on his motorcycle. I had to divert their attention to the outpost and away from Daryl. He smiled at me when he saw me. I winked at him and turned his song right up so that it was blasting out. He laughed into the walkie talkie. 

"Nice choice of song. You're the best." He said into the walkie talkie, driving away from the hoard and towards a small hidden shack. The walkers started stumbling towards me and I smiled. I could see Daryl parked up looking at me intensely. I looked over to the outpost and saw something. Eugene and Gabriel. They were being crammed into a van. I gasped but pulled my attention back towards the outpost. I pressed down on the accelerator as hard as I could and went crashing through the walls. I must have pressed onto the pedal too hard because the glass smashed into my face. I gasped as it cut me, but I grabbed my bag and the yellow walkman and climbed out onto the bonnet. The walkers were swarming around me like an ocean.

They piled into the outpost. I heard screams, making me pause but I looked at Daryl who was revving his engine. I jumped off the bonnet and sprinted through the hoard, swinging my sword whenever they grabbed at me. A large group started to chase after me. There were too many for me to kill by myself. I sprinted as fast as I could, causing my prosthetic to pull on my bones and muscles, but I swallowed the tears. "Drive!" I shouted to Daryl. He hesitated but started to drive. I got closer and closer, and I could feel the walkers grabbing at my heels. 

Quickly, I leaped onto the motorcycle and wrapped my arms around Daryl. He pushed down on the pedal and we went speeding off. I looked back at the walkers and saw a fire in the outpost. It was engulfing it all. I gasped at all of the commotion I had caused. "Mission successful." I said into Daryl's ear, who smiled. 

One down.


	65. Just Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The entire group works together to bring down a large outpost. Who will be sacrificed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 2 (Season 8 Part 1) - Just Breathe

Daryl and I parked up where everyone else had met up. We climbed off and he held my face in his eyes, looking at where the glass had cut my face. I smiled at him. "I'm ok. Honestly. No stitches needed." I reassured him, stroking his hand. He nodded and put his arm around me as we walked over to the group.

"Did it go well?" Rick asked me. I nodded.

"Just as planned. The outpost is gone. But I did see Eugene and Gabriel being taken into a van. I couldn't go over to them because the walkers were everywhere. But they made it out." I explained. There was a temporary e climbed on and I sat behind him. Daryl and I speeded past everyone to scout at the area, and we found it was clear, I signaled to Rick. Everyone got out of the shocked look on everyone's faces but they relaxed eventually. 

"Good. Ok, we need everyone to work together for this one. We need to hit straight away. They will just be recovering from the large hit. It's a massive outpost. One of the biggest. So be warned." Rick sighed. I looked around and frowned when I saw Eric, with Aaron, standing with a rifle. I had never seen him hold a gun before, let alone be on a run, or even a war. 

"Let's do this." Rick finished. I walked back over to the motorcycle with Daryl. Hir vehicles and Rick handed me an assault rifle so that I didn't just have a pistol. "Alright, everyone split off into group A and B. B's with me and A's with Daryl. I nodded and followed Rick. Aaron and Eric crouched next to me. There were small walls to take cover from the gun fires that had been alerted by Daryl's groups. I peaked my head up and shot a couple of bullets before ducking back down, narrowly missing a bullet to the head. I ducked back up and sprayed bullets everywhere, a part of me hoped I only injured the people, not kill them. I ducked back down when I heard a thud and a gasp. I saw Eric leaning against the wall with blood pouring from his chest. Aaron was crouched over him, holding him. I held Eric's back upright without thinking and looked around for better shelter. My eyes finally rested on a derelict building that looked abandoned and well hidden. 

"Cover me." I said to Aaron who nodded as I helped Eric to his fight. I used my strength and ran to the building, the bullets following me with Aaron. I kicked the door open and carefully placed Eric on a nearby table. "Aaron make sure no one comes in." I said, determined to help Eric. I put my weapons down and pushed my sleeves up. I ripped his shirt open, revealing a pool of blood, his pale and sweaty face looked at me with fear. "It's ok Eric. I'm going to do the best I can to save you." I tried to reassure him. I had left the main first aid kit with Michonne in the car, but I still had a small one that had the basics in. I took it out of my bag and opened it. I sighed when there were no painkillers. "Eric, I have no painkillers with me so this will hurt a lot and you may pass out, but don't worry you will wake up again." I said, putting on the sterile gloves and looking at the gunshot wound. I carefully turned him onto his side and saw that there was no exit wound. I then put him back on his back and began to start working. Eric started to scream when I used the scalpel to get closer to the bullet, but Aaron put a hand over his mouth and calmed him. 

After half an hour, Eric had passed out, and I had finally found the bullet. I sighed when I saw the damage that it had done. "It's grazed the lung and the heart. I have to work fast. Make sure he doesn't wake up." I told Aaron, who nodded nervously. I could still hear the gunshots outside but I tried not to focus on it, a I picked up the tweezers and began to remove the bullet, which was still intact. Suddenly, I heard a baby screaming, causing me to jump. I grazed the lung accidentally, but it didn't bleed. "Aaron, you go and get the baby. I've got this. Go." I told him, he hesitated but then went running towards the sound of the crying. 

Eric started to shake vigorously, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. I put down the tweezers and scalpel so that I could hold him down, but it was no use. I used all of my force to hold him down for as long as possible until I found a rope and tied his wrists to the table. I continued until all of the bullet had been removed. But he stopped moving, too fast for my liking and I looked down at his heart, which was moving rapidly but his head was pale. I lifted his eyelids up and his pupils were unresponsive. I needed extra blood fast, I had until his entire body had gone cold. I looked around and settled on a knife. I couldn't use my own blood as there was a low chance of it being compatible, plus I had no way of giving it to him safely. "Aaron! Where are you?! I shouted, my voice breaking slightly with the stress. I wiped my forehead and realized I couldn't do anything else. I reached for his heart and began to pump it for him so that I might have been able to wait for someone with better medical equipment, but after another 15 minutes, his body went cold. I stitched him up and covered his chest with his shirt. Aaron came running in just at that moment, carrying a small bundle in his arms.

"How is he?" He asked, rushing over. He handed the baby over to me.

"I'm so sorry Aaron." I began. "He's brain dead. He won't turn into a walker, but without the life support machine, he'll be gone in at least 5 minutes. I'm so sorry." I whispered. Aaron began to cry silently, stroking Eric's forehead. 

"You didn't get to see her, but I've found our daughter. She's called Gracie. She's beautiful." Aaron whispered, his voice occasionally cracking. I stepped towards the door and suddenly realized I could no longer hear the gunshots. I didn't say anything to Aaron as he was still distraught. Finally, he let out a long sigh and got up. 

"What are you going to do?" I asked him quietly. He looked at me with red swollen eyes.

"I need to bury him. But not in Alexandria. He always liked the nature." Aaron replied. I nodded and he picked up Eric's body and we walked out the back of the building so that no one could shoot at us. Aaron found a beautiful spot under a blossoming tree and began to dig. I held Gracie in my arms and watched silently. 

After he was buried, Aaron said a few words and then walked over to me. I gave him Gracie. "Aaron, you can go somewhere by yourself, and I won't tell anyone where you have gone. Unless you want to come back with me." I said to him, quietly. 

"I'm going to walk back to Alexandria with Gracie." He replied with a sad tone. He walked off into the trees, the long way back to Alexandria.

I sighed and glanced at the single flower that Aaron had left on the grave and then walked silently over to where everyone's vehicles were parked. They weren't many there anymore. There was only one, and I realized someone was sitting in it. I looked in the window and saw Michonne looking at me. I got into the driver's seat and started the engine. She looked at my bloody hands and face but didn't ask any questions. We only drove in silence, until finally, I broke it. 

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Some of them were driven onto the road, others went to reinforce a smaller outpost. We got this one. Some went back to Alexandria. We need to go to the Kingdom, Ezekiel needs our help." She explained. I nodded and turned the walkie talkie on. There were only gunshots on Ezekiels channel. Machine gunshots. I looked at Michonne nervously and continued to drive. 


	66. Lend a Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana goes to help Ezekiel with an outpost. But will they be able to take it out?

Chapter 3 (Season 8 Part 1) - Lend a Hand

We drove to the Kingdom and I saw Carol waiting for us at the gates. I got out of the car and walked up to her, still covered in Eric's blood. I noticed the engagement ring on her finger and smiled. "So you said yes then." I beamed at her. She nodded returning the smile.

"I need you to go after Ezekiel. I'm thinking of going myself but someone needs to stay with the people. Here, take my sniper. You'll need it to scope in. Be safe." She explained. I nodded as she passed me a map of where he was. "He should be with some Kingdom guards." She added. I walked back over to the car and to Michonne. I drove away and followed the map until finally, we reached the outpost. I gasped. The kingdom group was getting annihilated. I watched in horror as machine guns shot down soldier after soldier. I saw movement under a pile of bodies. 

"I'm going to try and help. You go back and get some more people. We'll need more help." I whispered to Michonne, getting out of the car. She nodded and I heard he drive away. I crouched in a bush and used Carol's sniper to scope in.

Ezekiel was hiding from the machine guns under a pile of Kingdom warriors that had tried to protect him. I looked towards the shooters, who were entirely focused on where Ezekiel was. I heard a car pull up behind me and saw Jerry and Carol crouch next to me, gasping at the sight before them. "You need to distract the shooters so that I can go and get Ezekiel. Do you have grenades?" I asked. Carol nodded and picked one up. I counted down from three and when I got zero they threw grenade after grenade at the shooters. As they did this, I sprinted over to Ezekiel and pushed the bodies off him. I helped him onto his feet and put his arm around me so that he could run instead of limp. The shooters began shooting and we ran into the forest, diving into nearby shrubbery. We were out of the firing range. "Are you hurt?" I asked him. He looked shocked. I sighed and looked at Jerry and Carol, who had made their way around and into the forest with us. Carol knelt down beside Ezekiel and began to reassure him. I heard walkers groan from beside us and stood up, clutching my sword and Jerry was holding a rifle. I gasped when a saw a small hoard coming towards us.

"We have to move." I told them. They nodded and Carol helped Ezekiel up onto his feet. We ran. Not stopping. Until Ezekiel fell to the ground, his knees buckling beneath him. The hoard closed in around us. There was no way out. Suddenly, there was a blur of orange and Shiva came bounding through the hoard, ripping them to pieces. I swung my sword at the ones that reached for her so that she wouldn't get hurt. I couldn't bare another death today. My eyes glazed over as I decapitated walker after walker with Shiva. Until they were finally all gone. Shiva licked my face excitedly, covering me with blood. I smiled and ruffled her fur before she jumped over to Ezekiel, who was still in shock.

"We have to get back to the Kingdom." I said to Jerry and Carol, who nodded. It was a quiet ride home. The four of us crammed into the car, with Shiva, whose bright orange fur managed to creep into my mouth and nostrils. Her whiskers were painfully sticking into my face the entire ride home, but I continued to stroke her. 

The Kingdom's gates welcomed us with large iron hands. There was the occasional guard on patrol, but there weren't many residents walking around freely. Without a word, Ezekiel walked away and over to his building, Shiva bounded after him. We watched as he locked the doors and pulled the curtains across any door and window, shutting himself inside. I looked over at Carol, who had a concerned facial expression. But she gave me a knowing look and walked towards the armory. Jerry walked over to his house, and Michonne and I got back in the car. 

As I turned the key in the ignition, a voice came on over the speaker. It was Carl's voice. "I've found a survivor. A male. He's a doctor called Siddiq. We're on our way back now." I looked over at Michonne nervously and she had an urgent look on her face. 

"We should go." 


	67. Trust in You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Alexandrians are reunited, but there is a new face around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter, I was taking a break from writing but I'm back now and you can expect regular content from now on. :) I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4 (Season 8 Part 1) - Trust In You 

We pulled into Alexandria and I heard the familiar squeak as the gate was closed behind us. I got out of the car and noticed I was being watched. I looked up to see Daryl holding Beth in his arms, smiling. I laughed and ran over. I engulfed them in a huge hug and kissed them both on the forehead. "It's so good to see you." I said to Daryl, taking Beth in my arms and holding her close. 

"Yeah. Did you see anything out there?" He asked, but I could tell something was bothering him. 

"Yeah, the Kingdom had some trouble with a large outpost, we're going to need more people for that one," I explained, watching him carefully as we walked over to the house. I put a hand on his chest to stop him from walking and looked directly into his eyes. "What is it? There's something wrong, I can tell." 

He sighed and whispered, "Rick has been taken by Jadis and The Scavengers." He looked at me, he looked sad, but I could tell there was fire within him. 

"It's ok, we can get him back, don't worry. Has he said anything over the walkie talkie? I heard Carl talk about someone. Siddiq?" I asked. He nodded towards the infirmary. I gave him Beth and walked over. The door was open, and I walked in. 

A man that was covered in dirt and had a messy beard was sitting on one of the beds, Carl and Rosita were sitting next to him. "You must be Siddiq." I said, walking over to him and sitting at the foot of the bed. He nodded hesitantly, causing a bit of bush to fall from his hair. I looked at him curiously. "Why are you in the infirmary? Are you hurt?" I asked. He shook his head.

He then finally spoke. "You are the doctor. I am also a doctor. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm not sure why I'm here. But I'm glad to finally have a shelter." He sighed. I looked over at Carl and Rosita.

"He's in here so that, just in case, he doesn't hurt anyone. We don't know him. We have to give him an interview before he joins us." Rosita explained. I nodded and looked over at Carl who was gazing out of the window with a solemn expression on his face. 

"Carl, I promise I will get Rick back." I said to him, determined. I got up from the seat and walked out of the infirmary and up towards the house. When I entered, I heard hushed voices coming from my bedroom. I put my hand over my mouth and crept up the stairs, being careful not to be heard. I pressed my ear to the door and heard Daryl's voice, alongside Tara's. The door was slightly ajar, so I could see them both standing by the window and whispering hurriedly. 

"Do we have enough dynamite? The sanctuaries walls are sturdier than any of the outposts." Tara whispered. I blinked in shock but continued to listen to the exchange. 

"Yes. But we need to remember to get Eugene and Gabriel from the sanctuary while they are all distracted." Daryl explained. Tara nodded in agreement. She looked like she was about to leave, but Daryl continued, "Tara, don't tell anyone. They wouldn't allow us to do this. But don't tell Alana especially. She will try to help and I don't want her getting hurt." He sighed. I could see the sadness in his eyes when he said this. 

I let out a gasp, causing both their heads to turn towards the door but I was down the stair by the time they opened it fully. I ran out of the house and down the side of the infirmary so that they couldn't see me. How could he keep something like this from me? My thoughts were interrupted when the walkie talkie turned on. 

"An update from Hilltop. We have started planting the next round of crops, half will go to Alexandria. The Kingdom doesn't need any as they have their own. This also marks the time that Gregory has now left us by himself to the sanctuary. I have taken the lead of Hilltop. I hope everything is ok on your end. I'll try again later." Maggie explained. I thought about replying but I couldn't as my head was spinning. I sank to the ground and held my head in my hands. But sighed in exasperation as the walkie talkie turned back on. But gasped when I heard who it was.

"Alana? It's only you receiving this message. Please pick up. I don't have very long. I need you to wait outside the Scavenger's base in a car. I can make my way out now. But be fast." Rick said under his breath. I gasped and scrambled for my walkie talkie.

"Ok, I'll be there in 5 minutes." I replied. I ran over to my car and glanced at Daryl who was watching me carefully. I sped out of Alexandria and towards the Scavengers. 

I arrived at the rubbish site and parked my car in the cover of trees. I got out and crouched down at the front of the car so that I was noticeable, but I gripped my rifle in my hands. I watched the gates carefully. 

After a couple of minutes, there was finally movement. The gate opened up and a couple of guards exited, they held Rick, who looked unconscious. They dragged him into the forest and I hid behind the car, aiming my gun at them. But suddenly Rick opened his eyes and punched them both in their temples. They fell to the ground and Rick ran over to me, he sat in the car, breathless. I clambered in and started the car. We drove down the road away from the Scavengers before they woke up. 

"Are you ok?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the road. I heard a sigh.

"Yeah. They beat me up but it's nothing I can't handle. Are you ok? You seem different." He said with a careful tone to his voice. 

I thought about how to reply to this. But I thought it was better to ask Daryl before I consulted anyone else about it. I sighed and smiled over at him. "I'm good. Just tired from all the outposts. Did you hear about what went on with the Kingdom soldiers? They lost a great number of them. We will need to give some of our's to help them against it next time. " I explained. He nodded, still looking at me carefully. 

We arrived back at Alexandria and Carl ran over and brought Rick in for a tight hug. I walked over to the house, careful to avoid Daryl's nervous gaze. I walked up the stairs and into our room, where Beth was waking up from her nap. I picked her up in my arms and sat by the window. Her large innocent eyes looked up at me curiously. I smiled at her warmly. But then I heard footsteps and stood up abruptly. Daryl was standing at the door. I sighed and sat back down and looked out of the window. 

"Alana. What's wrong? I can tell there is something wrong." He said, sitting down next to me and playing with Beth's short hair. I looked at him with sadness. 

"I know what you are planning." 


	68. Fallen Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Alana talk about what is going on behind her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy the penultimate episode of the first half! :)

Chapter 5 (Season 8 Part 1) - Fallen Walls

He looked at me shocked. It was so quiet you would have been able to hear a pin drop. But he broke the silence. 

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to tell you, not because I didn't trust you, I do, but because you would try to help and I don't want to danger your life." He explained.

"I understand. But won't it endanger your life as well? I can't survive without you, Beth shouldn't grow up without a father." I replied, tears starting to spill over. 

"I promise you. I won't die. I thought it out well. And it won't take long either. It's not just Tara and I doing this. We will have help from some of the Kingdom and Hilltop soldiers. The only difference is that Rick, Maggie, and Ezekiel won't know about it. And by the time they do know, it will be done and the sanctuary will no longer be a problem." He explained, wiping the tears away from my cheeks. 

"But didn't you see the children when we were there? There are children, animals, elderly. Are you just going to kill all of those without a second thought?" I asked. 

"No. We have a plan to evacuate as many as we can. They will go to Hilltop, and when they turn up at Maggie's door, it's up to her. You have to trust me, they will be safe. I will be safe. And we will be safe." He gestured towards Beth, himself, and me. I gave a weak smile and nodded.

"I trust and I always will. But be careful." I finished. He nodded and embraced me. After we had broken apart, I looked at him with sympathy, before placing Beth back in her crib and walking out of the room and out of the house. I got in a car, only to find Morgan sitting in the passenger seat beside me. He looked at me curiously.

"I'm going to go on a supply run. Do you want to come?" I asked him, starting the engine. He nodded. But then I heard a shout and the car door opened. Rick got in the back of the car and shut the door behind him. "I guess that's three of us going on a run." I sighed, I pulled out and then drove out of the gates. 

"Why is everyone here anyway?" I asked. 

"I was waiting for someone to take me on a run. I'm looking for some specific supplies." Morgan replied ominously. 

"I just need to take a temporary step back from everything. And I saw you leaving and thought what a good opportunity it would be." Rick explained. I raised an eyebrow then smiled.

"Morgan, Rick, and Alana adventures. Cool." I laughed. They both smiled as we hurtled down the road towards a truck stop. There was the occasional walker but not many. I pulled up at the side of the road and got out, before walking over to the gas station. I siphoned some fuel before entering the small shop. I heard voices, that I didn't recognize and crouched down behind the counter. Rick and Morgan followed.

"Do we know them?" I whispered. Rick shook his head, reaching for his gun. I let out a silent gasp I saw who it was. 

"Sanctuary guards," Morgan said my thoughts out loud. "We can't kill them, they look like they are about to leave town. Maybe they're done with Negan." Morgan suggested.

"We can't take that chance." Rick replied, he started to get up, but I pulled him back down gently. 

"Rick, they are armed. There's what, like five of them. We can still just run back to the car. There are nowhere near the car. Let's just go." I sighed, as I picked up random cans of food from one of the shelves. Suddenly I heard a shout and when I looked back over the counter, the sanctuary guards were gone. 

"Alana, they have seen us." Morgan whispered, gripping his stick tightly. 

I reached for my gun but then an unknown voice boomed down at me from above.

"Move anymore than an inch and I will put a bullet straight that pretty head of yours." A man said. I looked to my side, not moving my head, and noticed that Rick was no longer there. I looked back forwards and the man pulled me up to my feet. He pushed the gun painfully to my temple. Another one, female this time, pulled Morgan up and grabbed the stick out of his hand. They took out my weapons from their holsters, unknowing of the knife I kept in my shoe at all times. I kept an eye out for Rick as they brought my outside and a slight amount of fear washed over me as I saw 4 walkers tied to a fence, in the direction that I was headed. The brought me closer and closer until I could smell the stench of the walker, touching my face. 

"What do you want from me?" I shouted, shuffling uncomfortably. 

"I want to take you to Negan, but I need to know you aren't going to pull any kind of stunt." They replied. I sighed and smiled, staring deeply into the white mist of the walker's eyes. 

"I'm sorry but I can't promise anything." I said this as Rick leaped off one of the large dumpsters and tackled one of the guards, as they were distracted, I pulled out my knife from shoe and drove it into the mans neck and then tackled the one that was holding Morgan to the ground. Together we took them all down, including the walkers. I put all of my weapons back in their holsters and picked up the food cans from the floor, before returning to the car as if nothing had happened. 

It was silent the entire way back to Alexandria. But when we got back, it had turned to night.

And we heard screams and saw fires. 


	69. Underground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What has happened at Alexandria while Morgan, Rick, and Alana were away?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the midseason finale, I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 8 Part 1) - Underground

I took it all in. There was a huge gaping hole in Alexandria's walls, and walkers piled in. 

"They retaliated." I whispered. Without another thought, I ran in through the gates and past walker after walker. I ignored occasional growls and screams and ran up the steps and into the house. I heard Beth crying from upstairs and sprinted into our room. There was a walker that had caught their shirt on the door handle but was reaching for Beth. I drove my knife firmly into its skull and ran to pick up Beth. Her eyes were full of fear as I carried her down the stairs and towards where Rick was gesturing. 

"Over here, Alana!" He shouted. I nodded and ran over, stabbing my sword into walkers. He was pointing to an open manhole cover that led down to the sewers. Without questioning anything, I hopped in and looked around. What seemed like the entirety of Alexandria were now taking cover in the sewers. I heard Rick pulled the cover over as he jumped inside, causing the tunnels to go dark but people turned on their flashlights revealing sad and solemn faces all around. I scoured the darkness carefully until my eyes met Daryl's. He was leaning against one of the walls uncomfortably, gripping his crossbow carefully. He looked shocked when he saw me, and when I got closer I could see the marks on his face from where he had been crying. 

He embraced me tightly, and I returned the hug. He looked at me with shock in his eyes. "I couldn't go for Beth, there were walkers everywhere, I thought that she-" He didn't finish. I put a finger to his mouth.

"I have her. It's ok." I reassured him, giving him our child to carry. He smiled at her warmly when he held her. He looked at me suddenly, with nerves. 

"You look like you were in a fight. Did everything go ok on the run?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Sanctuary guards. They are gone now though." I told him. I leaned against him and he rested an arm over my shoulder while I held Beth. She was starting to go to sleep. Suddenly, Rick approached us looking distraught. I stood up quickly. "Rick? What's wrong?" I asked, the sight of him crying started to make me cry. 

"I- it's Carl. He-" He stuttered. My breath escaped me. Michonne walked over and guided Rick away as Carl walked over to us. He looked pale. 

"Oh god." I realized what had happened. He lifted his shirt to reveal a bite mark on his stomach. 

"It happened when I went to save Siddiq." He whispered. 

"No, no, no. I can help you. I-" I started to say, trying to think of ways to take the bite away so that he would live. 

He gave a weak smile, his sheriff hat still resting on his head. "I wrote letters after it happened. Here." He passed me an envelope that was addressed to Daryl and I. 

"Oh, Carl." I cried. I could hear the quiet sound of Daryl crying. Only I noticed it. Carl's blue eyes looked at us, and then his eyes looked down at Beth. He reached his hand and touched her's. Her tiny hands gripped around his finger tightly, causing him to let out a small laugh. 

"It's ok. I wish I had more time, but that's ok. I guess I'll see you later." He looked at us one more time before walking away and over to Rick and Michonne. 

I gripped the letter tightly in my shaking hands. "Why?" I whispered. No one replied. 

After what felt like hours of crying in the sewers, I was convinced the water on the floor was tears rather than anything else. We heard the groans of walkers start to fade and Rick pulled the manhole cover out. We filed out of the tunnels and up to the ground, where it was now daylight. Michonne helped Carl but he still seemed strong enough. Most of the walkers were gone. I watched as everyone separated and filed away to their various homes. I looked over at Rick, who nodded at me knowingly. Michonne, him, and Carl walked over to the run-down church, that was half-ruined. 

I watched in horror. They all entered. Only Michonne and Rick exited. There was a gunshot and Rick collapsed to the floor in sobs. Birds flew away in shock, leaving the branches of the trees empty. I walked back to the house with Daryl and Beth and put Beth to sleep in her crib. I then sat on the bed and rested in Daryl's arms as I opened the letter. 

"Are you ready?" I whispered. He nodded and I pulled the letter out. "Hello, Daryl and Alana. I'm sorry if you're reading this. I've never given this sort of thing a thought, I mean, who can judge me, I've had the best people looking after me as I've grown up. Do you remember even back at Hershel's farm? When it was on fire, if it wasn't for Alana, then I wouldn't have made it this far. I truly do thank you both of you for everything you have done for me. You are both amazing, and I have always considered you my family. Please look after my dad for me. I'm not sure how he'll deal with me- you know. And Judith. I wanted to be there with her, to see her as she grows up. I don't doubt that she's going to grow up with the best people, just like I did. I guess that's life, you know? I never thought I would have made it this far, but I'm glad I did. But I'm tired now, and a part of me is glad it's ending. I'll get to see Mum again, at least. And eventually, I'll see you both again too. Say hi to Beth for me. From Carl." 


	70. Allies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the second part of season 8. Will Rick's group be able to win against the saviors?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I planned for the future of this fic and the ending will come at the end of season 11 part 2. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 8 Part 2) - Allies 

I finished the rations that I had for the day, before heading out of the house. Daryl was still fast asleep, and so was Beth. But I couldn't sleep at all. 

I noticed Aaron talking to Rick at the gate, so I walked over. "I'm going to stay at Oceanside until they decide to actually help. I'll go with Gracie." Aaron was saying. Rick nodded and walked past me, Aaron gave me a knowing look before departing in his car. I ran after Rick who was already halfway to where the wall was being rebuilt. 

"Rick, if you need to talk about it, I'm here." I told him, as reassuringly as I could. He gave me a dismissive smile before continuing over to the construction site. I sighed before walking back over to the house, but I heard footsteps from behind me, and when I turned around, I saw Rick sprinting over to me, with his walkie talkie in his hands. He pointed to the walkie talkie, so I picked mine up and turned it on.

"Hello. This is Jadis speaking on behalf of all the Scavengers. We would like to change sides in this war. If you'll have us, Rick, we want to fight with you." Jadis explained. I looked at Rick who was standing very still, he didn't look like he was going to reply so I did instead.

"Hello, Jadis. This is Alana. We are going to talk this over as a community and we will get back to you as soon as we can." I replied, keeping my voice calm. There was no reply, so I turned off my walkie talkie and walked over to Rick. 

"Rick we need to get everyone together." I told him, he nodded and pulled out his walkie talkie. He changed it so that it would go directly to the leaders of the Kingdom, Hilltop, and Oceanside. 

"Hello, everyone, this is Rick. We were just contacted by Jadis saying that herself and the Scavengers want to join our side of the fight. Is everyone ok with this?" He asked. There was a delay before anyone answered. 

"Aren't they the people that shot at you?" Cyndi from Oceanside asked. 

"Yes, they are." Rick sighed. 

"Can we trust them again? They already betrayed us once." Ezekiel explained. 

"Yes, but they do have lots of firepowers, that we could use. And the more the merrier." Maggie replied. 

"So what's the conclusion?" Rick asked. 

"I say they can join." Maggie voted.

"Alright, but just be careful." Ezekiel voted.

"I mean if you think they will be trustworthy then ok." Cyndi voted. Rick nodded at me, so I turned on my walkie talkie. 

"Jadis, this is Alana again. We have decided to let you into our alliance. But you have to promise with all your hearts that you will stay loyal." I told them, with a pleading tone.

"Yes. We all promise. Thank you." Jadis replied. I turned off my walkie talkie. 

I turned back to the infirmary and walked into it. Siddiq was hunched over a desk, having fallen asleep over a textbook. I shook him gently, to wake him up, and he woke with a start. 

"Hey, Siddiq. I'm sorry to wake you up. I know that you're tired, but we need to do a supply count. We should also sterilize our equipment again." I told him, walking into the back room and collecting as many boxes of surgery equipment as I could. He looked at me groggily but nodded. 

"Ok. What were you before all of this happened? You sound like you know your way around surgery." Siddiq smiled, picking up sterile gloves and pulling them onto his hands. I did the same. 

"I was just doing my finals for veterinary surgery when the world went to shit. We met a man called Hershel, he taught me how to change my skills with animals into human surgery." I explained, smiling at the distant memories. 

"He sounds like a great guy." Siddiq sighed. 

"He was." I replied.

Suddenly, there was a shout, that made Siddiq drop a scalpel to the floor. I picked up and placed it back on the table, before walking outside to see what the issue was. Rick was waving his walkie talkie. I ran over, and Daryl, Michonne, Rosita, Morgan, and Tara followed. We crowded around Rick to see what the fuss was about. 

"There's something going on at the Scavengers place. I need a couple of you to go and check it out with me. Alana and Daryl. Can you come?" He asked. I nodded slowly but stopped when I realized that Daryl was holding Beth.

"Where's Beth?" I asked him, suddenly filled with worry. 

"It's ok, she's still asleep." He comforted. The worry left as quickly as it had come. 

"I can look after her, while you are gone." Rosita suggested. I nodded appreciatively. 

We all clambered into a car together, Rick got in the driver's seat, Daryl in the passengers, and I sat in the back. We drove out of the gates and towards the scrap heap.

"Has anyone heard anything from Carol recently?" I asked.

Rick shook his head. 

"I heard she is now engaged to Ezekiel." Daryl said, with happiness to his voice. 

"Really? Oh. Good for her." Rick said, shocked. 

"We should go and see her. You know, like a reunion of all of us guys." I suggested, smiling, they both laughed and nodded. But when we arrived at the scrap heap, our smiles faded. There was silence, the gates were in pieces and I could see movement inside. But not much. I held my sword tightly in my hand as we all got out of the car. We approached tentatively.

I gasped when I saw Jadis, in a bloody white dress, leading all of her people, who were now walkers into a mincer. I tried not to throw up from the smell. "Fuck." I whispered as I threw up. I wiped my mouth as I got back up to my feet and held my nose so that I couldn't smell anything. We walked into the base.

"Jadis? What happened here?" Rick asked, confused. She looked over at us, with tears falling down her face.

"The saviors. They took everything." She began, but then she followed up with a vengeful tone.

"So I will take everything from them." 


	71. Vengeance For The Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will they be able to divert the Savior's attention away from Hilltop before it is too late?

Chapter 2 (Season 8 Part 2) - Vengeance For The Lost

We drove back to Alexandria, with Jadis in the car. We had packed as many guns and ammo as we could fit and had sent some Alexandrians back to get more. It was a strange car ride home, filled with awkward silence. But finally, we arrived back at the community and I got out of the car quickly. I walked Jadis carefully over to the infirmary so that I could give her a check-up and see that she was ok. "Jadis, I'm just going to make sure that everything is working the way it is supposed to." I told her, as reassuringly as I could. 

She didn't show any sign of acknowledgment, and instead, she sat down on one of the hospital beds while staring out into space. "Have you finished sterilizing the equipment?" I asked Siddiq, while I grabbed a couple of things from the back room. He nodded, looking at Jadis curiously. I heard the gate open, which was strange as no one had left, therefore no one should have to enter. "Siddiq, please give Jadis a routine checkup while I go and look at what's going on outside." I said to Siddiq, before stepping out into the open and staring in shock at who had just entered the community. 

He stood acting as if he wasn't about to be beaten to a pulp by anyone in Alexandria. Dwight was now inside of our community. In my peripheral vision, I saw Rick start to walk over to him, curiously. And Daryl watched from a distance, but he was watching me, not Dwight. I kept my gaze on Dwight. I felt the anger from what he had done rage inside me, taking over me. "Son of a bitch." I whispered, with hatred.

I sprinted as fast as I could at him. "Alana, stop!" I heard Daryl say, but I just continued. I reached him and punched him as hard as I could with my fist, knocking him to the ground. I knelt on top of him and drove my knuckles directly into his face over and over again until Daryl pulled me off him. He held my face in his hands. "Alana, look at me. It's ok." He whispered with a slight hint of a smile playing on his face. I felt myself calm down and I looked back over at Dwight, who was unconscious on the floor. 

"I'll treat him in the infirmary." I announced, as Rick and Daryl carried him, I felt everyone gaze on me, but they weren't afraid, more amused. They placed him on a bed and I looked at the damage I had done. He appeared to have a broken nose but that was about it. "He'll wake up soon." I told them, as I pushed his nose back in place and secured it with a small cast. I wiped the blood away as he woke up with a start. He looked at me with fear, but then relaxed slightly. 

"Hell of a welcome." He laughed. Daryl walked so that he was beside him. 

"Why are you here? If you touch a single hair on anyone's head here, I will do much worse than Alana did." Daryl hissed, warningly. Dwight's eyes narrowed with fear, but he turned to Rick.

"I am here to join you. I want to be on the winning side rather than with Negan. They don't know I'm here, so I can keep in touch with you over the walkie talkie, and let you know about their plans." He explained. 

"So you want to be our spy. Alright." Rick sighed. Dwight smiled, before hopping out of the bed and gathering his things. He walked past me, avoiding eye contact before leaving as fast as he had entered. I sighed before walking out of the building and turning on my walkie talkie to check to see if anyone needed any help. I was greeted by Maggie on the other end.

"Alana! You are exactly who I need right now." Maggie sound rushed. 

"Maggie? What's wrong?" I asked, urgently. 

"The Saviors tried to attack us, but they went away. I was wondering if they diverted over to you?" She asked, curiously.

"What? No, they haven't come to us. Oh my god, that son of a bitch!" I realized what had happened. 

"What? Do you know what happened?" She asked. 

"Yeah, Dwight came over to Alexandria claiming that he wanted to help us, I guess he distracted them away from Hilltop." I explained. 

"Wow. Even if that is true, I still think you shouldn't trust him. Do you remember what he did to you?" She asked. 

"I do. And don't worry, I broke his nose as soon as he stepped a foot in Alexandria." I smiled. She laughed on the other end. "Alright, I'll get back to you if I see anything." I said goodbye before walking over to Daryl, who was walking into the house. I noticed that it was starting to get dark so I told him to come and sit on the porch swing with me. 

"Do you remember the night that you proposed to me?" I asked as I placed my head on his shoulder. He nodded.

"Of course." He replied. 

"We looked up at the stars." I sighed, in wonder as I looked up at the dark sky. It was too cloudy to see any stars tonight. 

"Yeah. On the prison roof. I remember." He replied, placing his arm around me. We stared up at the sky for what felt like hours before Beth started crying in our room. I sighed as we both disentangled ourselves and made our way upstairs. 


	72. Key to the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious woman named Georgie gives some important blueprints. But what will the do for the community?

Chapter 3 (Season 8 Part 1) - Key to the Future

I woke up with the familiar sound of the walkie talkie, this time it was Maggie's voice. Daryl groaned at the sudden disturbance, while Beth stayed fast asleep. 

"Hello? An update. We managed to catch a large group of saviors wanting to change to this side. We have imprisoned them, including Gregory. But there is something more important that requires everyone to meet up for me to discuss. This is urgent." She sounded happy, so it must be good news. I sighed and got up out of bed, I showered and got dressed and fed Beth, before stepping out of the house, closely followed by Daryl. 

I made sure I had all of my weapons, before walking over to where Rick and Michonne were waiting by the cars. "We got the message. I assume you two did as well. Let's go to Hilltop then." Michonne told us. We nodded and clambered onto Daryl's motorcycle. Rick and Michonne got into a car and drove down the road, we followed. 

We finally arrived at Hilltop and as we drove down their massive drive, I furrowed my brow as I saw a large group of people sitting outside of the gate, they were all behind a fence and their hands and ankles were tied together. "What in the world." I gasped. It was slightly amusing but mostly scary to see the saviors in this shape. "Maggie really does hate them all, doesn't she?" I whispered to Daryl, who nodded.

We drove into Hilltop, where everyone else was already waiting. There was Ezekiel and Carol, Maggie with Hershel, Michonne and Rick, Morgan, and Daryl and I. I stood next to Carol, who smiled warmly at me. Maggie stepped up in front of us.

"So, I was coming back from a run and I was stopped by a woman named Georgie." Maggie began. 

"Did she hurt you?" Rick asked, starting to prepare his weapon. But Maggie held up her hand to stop him.

"She did not hurt me. Instead, she asked for food in turn of something called the Key to the Future." She explained. "They are blueprints for things like crops, reusable water, specific buildings. These blueprints could save our lives. But. Hilltop should build them first. Then, I will hand them over to whoever needs it the most, then they will go to the other and then so on." She said she brought out some blue colored paper that had drawings on. 

"Can we see them? How will we get enough resources to build them?" I asked. 

"Georgie gave me some resources to start us off, but we are going to have to find our own. We can chop down some trees, harvest from other buildings that are abandoned. But I think with time, we could really thrive thanks to these blueprints." Maggie smiled, gripping them in her hands. Everyone nodded.

"Alright. Well then let's go back to our communities before the Saviors notice that we are gone. Well done Maggie on finding these. They will be a great help." Rick ordered. Everyone started to head back to their various vehicles. 

"Wait, Daryl, I'll stay here. Some of the prisoners might need medical attention and Hilltop doesn't have a doctor. He was taken by the Saviors. I'll only be gone for two days. And I know you can handle Beth." I laughed, he nodded and kissed me before getting on his motorcycle and leaving with Rick and Michonne back to Alexandria. I turned back to Maggie and noticed that Carol had stayed behind with Morgan. I walked over to them.

"What's going on?" I asked, wondering why everyone was staying behind. 

"We heard talk from your spy that the Saviors are targeting Hilltop. We have to protect it and make sure they don't get their hands on the blueprints." Carol explained. I nodded, understanding. 

I walked over to their infirmary, which was significantly smaller than Alexandria's infirmary. I didn't realize I was being followed by Maggie and jumped when I turned around to see her standing behind me. She laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She smiled. I laughed. 

"How's Hershel?" I asked, picking up various surgical equipment and checking to make sure they were clean. 

"He's fine. He cries a lot, but he mostly just deals with what we have got. Rather than wish about what we haven't." She explained.

"Reminds me of his grandad." I smiled, she gave me a sad smile, so I changed the subject. "Have you heard anything from Oceanside? I noticed they didn't come today." 

"Aaron's there. I'm not sure what's going on. One minute they say they will fight with us and the other, they say they won't. They need to make their minds up." She sighed. "Are you ok with being here by yourself? I've got a few chores to do." She said, turning to the door.

"I'll be fine, you go do what you gotta do." I replied. I was sterilizing their equipment when my walkie talkie turned on unexpectedly. 

"This is Rick. I was on the way back to Alexandria with Michonne, and we saw movement in a nearby abandoned building. I went in and saw Negan, he was with a couple of guards working on some kind of weapon. But when I was about to shoot he fled. He got away." 

"What kind of weapon?" I asked.

"One that could destroy anyone that comes into contact with it." 


	73. Tainted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hilltop is attacked by the Sanctuary's new weapon, but what will the after-effects be?

Chapter 4 (Season 8 Part 2) - Tainted

I was packing my bag when I heard the gunfire. I quickly slung my rucksack over my shoulder, and pulled out my sword, along with my gun. I aimed it carefully as I stepped out into the moist morning air, to see that the person that was on watch was lying on the ground with a knife protruding out of their chest. 

People were shooting from both sides, but I dodged the bullets and ran straight over to the man that had been watch. He was rolling around in pain, so I held his head still and looked him in the eyes. "Hello. I need you to stay as still as possible." I whispered as I unbuttoned his shirt to see the damage. I gasped when I saw blood pooling everywhere. Before I could do anything, the man, who was determined to get up and fight, pulled the knife out and tried to get up. This caused blood to spurt everywhere and for him to fall to the ground and shake uncontrollably. Cardiac arrest. I sighed. As I waited for him to calm, while holding him down and putting pressure on the wound, I looked around at the war scene before me. 

People were being injured on both sides. Saviors had penetrated the walls, and only a few were shooting. I briefly noticed how only a few were actually using guns, and instead, they were mostly using knives and swords. I noticed with a gasp that when I looked down the man was trying to bite my wrists hungrily. "Shit." I whispered as I stabbed his head. I ran over to another man that had been stabbed but it wasn't as critical this time. I took out a bandage and bundled it up to apply pressure before using another bandage to tie it down. "Go and find shelter!" I shouted the man nodded before crawling off.

I gasped when I saw how many people had been hit by the knives and hardly any with the guns. I looked over to see the saviors take in their fine work, before running out of the gates and hopping in their truck. They drove out of sight faster than they arrived. "Get as many people as you can into the infirmary! Everyone else goes into quarantine in their homes." Maggie shouted orders. I ran over to the infirmary and began to start helping people with their wounds.

After what felt like hours of treating and bandaging wounds, it was time to sleep. Everyone else had fallen asleep in the infirmary, and the door was barred shut by snoring bodies. I shrugged and grabbed a spare pillow from the backroom before resting my head on it. It didn't take very long for me to fall asleep as I hadn't much sleep since before the sewers. 

I woke up with a start, there was something heavy on top of me. I waited for my eyes to adjust, but shouted a number of obscenities when they did adjust. There was one of the patients, now a walker that was trying to bite me with all of its efforts. "What, but, I treated you! You were getting better." I whispered. My eyes lowered to the wound, which looked worse than ever when I realized what had happened. "The weapons. They were using knives doused in walker blood. Those mother fu-" I was cut off when the walker almost bit me again, so I reached for my sword and drove it into their skull. I climbed to my fight and looked around in horror. Everyone in the infirmary was a walker. They were stumbling around, not knowing yet of my existence. I could see a number of people looking just as shocked as I did from outside the window, but none of them refused to help. I saw Maggie pointing at the walkie talkie and nodded. I ran into the back room and locked the door as quietly as I possibly could. 

"Oh my god, Maggie. The weapons, they-" I began to explain but was cut off by a banging against the door. 

"It's ok. You've got this." Maggie urged. "You're strong. Unless you need me to come in there?" She asked.

"No, I've got this." I whispered. I gripped my sword in my hand and narrowed my feet, I breathed slowly in and out, before kicking the door open and slicing the sword as fast as I could into the numerous walker's heads. Blood splattered all over me, as I danced with the sword violently swinging around through various walkers. After a couple of minutes, I stood completely covered head to foot in blood, standing on top of a pile of walker bodies. I gagged as the smell finally hit me. I pulled the door open and hopped outside. 

"We need to check on everyone else that was hit by their weapons. I'll tell people what happened over the walkie talkie." I told Maggie, who nodded, not moving her eyes from the contents of the infirmary. 

"This is Alana. We were attacked by the Saviors, and the weapons turned people into walkers. They were doused in walker blood and we almost got eaten. So make sure that it doesn't happen to you. Over and out." I finished, running over to stop Carol from walking into the infirmary. She looked at all of the blood on me. 

"What happened?" She asked. But before I had time to answer the families started to see what had happened. Pained screams filled the air as they realized they had lost loved ones. I watched as Carol ran to hug a young boy that had lost his brother. Morgan stood beside me.

"Sometimes there is nothing we can do to save others." He whispered gravely. I nodded saddened. "That's Henry. His brother, well, his brother died. In the infirmary. And I taught his other brother. Who was killed by a savior." He explained, gesturing to the young boy that Carol was comforting. 

"I'm sorry." I replied. I watched in horror as Henry ran towards the prisoners, faster than my reaction time, he cut the prisoners free, causing them to run into the forest without another word. 

We ran over to him. "No!" Maggie shouted in anguish. 

The prisoners had escaped. 


	74. Search and Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A group is sent to go after Henry, and another group is sent after the prisoners. But will they both escape?

Chapter 5 (Season 8 Part 2) - Search and Rescue

Many people from all of the communities had come together to help find the prisoners and Henry. But it was starting to get late and people were heading home.

But we were still determined. Rick, Michonne, Morgan, Carol, and I were all that was left. Daryl had gone back home to look after Beth. 

We all gathered together, to plan on our final search mission. "Ok, so Carol, Morgan, and Alana will go after Henry. He is our main concern. He is a child and we need him in safety. I will go after the prisoners. They won't dare go back to the Sanctuary seeing as they deserted it in the first place. Michonne stay here and keep any eye out if they come back home. Let's go." Rick explained. I nodded and we headed into the woods. We separated from Rick and went through the forest down a path that we had not searched yet.

"This reminds of something. All too familiar." Carol sighed. I remembered Sophia and felt a wave of sympathy.

"I'm so sorry Carol. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you." I whispered. She nodded. 

I held my hand up when I saw movement in a nearby bush. I drew my sword and parted the leaves, only to jump from fright when a walker pounced at me. Carol stabbed it in the head and it rolled off me and onto the ground beside me. "Thanks." I said, breathless. 

"Don't mention it." She replied. I looked over at Morgan who was searching the trees ahead. 

"Do you see anything Morgan?" I asked. He shook his head. Suddenly my walkie talkie turned on. 

"Alana, I need you to head west from your current location. This is important. Morgan and Carol, stay on your route." Rick ordered. I looked over at Carol, and she nodded knowingly so I ran off far into the woods in the direction I had been told. I unsheathed my sword in case of any surprise attacks. But I put it back when I reached Rick. He had all of the prisoners tied to a large tree. 

"Wow, Rick. How did you do this?" I asked, smiling at their frustrated faces. 

"I don't know. Must be all of my sheriff years coming back to me." He smiled. But he suddenly went serious again. "We have to kill them." He said, bluntly.

"What? Why?" I asked, shocked at the sudden need for death.

"They are dangerous. They could break free at any moment and they aren't doing any good just staying there. Hilltop doesn't have enough food and water to keep providing for them so we'd be doing them a favor." He explained. I sighed, I always found it difficult to say no to Rick. 

"Alright. But just so you know, I don't agree with this. So I won't have any part of it. But I won't tell." I looked away into the dark forest. I tried to tune out the sounds of the prisoners being killed by Rick, but I couldn't. Once the screams had died down, I looked back. 

"We should go. Their screams were bound to have attracted walkers." He whispered. I nodded and we ran off towards Hilltop. 

I gasped when I saw Carol talking to Henry. He was crying. I ran over. "Is everything ok? Is he hurt?" I asked. Carol shook her head.

"He's grieving. That's all." She replied. I nodded in understanding and gave my condolences before walking over to Rick and Michonne who were telling Maggie what had happened in the forest. She nodded appreciatively, but I could tell she was slightly angry. 

"Maggie, I'm going to go back to Alexandria. It's been nice being here, but I've caused a lot of trouble." I sighed. 

"Alright, I'll talk to you on the walkie talkie." She replied, before walking back into her house. I looked over at Rick and Michonne who were arguing. 

"Is everything ok?" I asked. 

"Rick hasn't opened Carl's letter yet." Michonne sighed. I gave a sad look before turning to Rick. 

"Rick, he could have written something really important in there. In fact, I have no doubt, he did. You have to read it. That's what he would have wanted." I whispered. Rick sighed, finally beaten. He took the letter out from his pocket and read it in his head, I watched in silent pain, as his face started to dissolve in tears. Michonne and I comforted him, but he said he was fine. 

"We have to read Negan his letter over the walkie talkie." Rick finally said as we walked over to the car. I nodded in agreement. 


	75. Are you Loyal?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Negan is back in charge of the Sanctuary, but will his wrath prove too much for the Allied communities?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the penultimate chapter of Season 8! I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 8 Part 2) - Are you Loyal?

I arrived back at Alexandria, it was now early morning and the sky was a bright blue. I watched in happiness as Daryl walked over with Beth. Her arms reached out for me longingly. I held in my arms. But my gasp caused her to look at me confused. 

Rick's walkie talkie had turned on and the worse possible voice spoke. "Hey, Rick. And anyone else who is listening. This is Negan, but who am I kidding? I bet you already knew who it was. I just wanted to let you know that I am back. I was captured for a while, by your good friend Jadis. But don't worry, she couldn't keep me for long. I plan to come visit you all. Maybe make Carl some spaghetti again. You know, all of that." Negan spoke. 

I grimaced when he spoke about Carl. Rick resigned and handed the walkie talkie over to Michonne, who handed it to me. "I'm going to go after Rick. " She whispered. I nodded. I handed Beth over to Daryl and held the letter in my hands before turning my side of the walkie talkie on. 

"Negan. This is Alana." I made sure that he remembered who I was. 

"Ah! The pregnant cripple! I remember you. Where's Rick?" He asked. 

"He's... He's not here right now. But I need to fill you in on something." I started. 

"Hm, that makes me sad that Rick doesn't want to talk to me. Guess I'll just have to make do with you. What you got?" He waited for me, while I opened Carl's letter. 

"Carl... Carl was bit. About a week ago. He passed away." I explained. There was a pause on Negan's end. 

"Damn. I actually liked that kid. Was he buried?" Negan now had a softer tone to his voice. 

"Yes. He was. He wrote letters to everyone he knew. He even wrote you one. I'm going to summarise what he said, but if we see each other again, can you allow me to give you the full letter. He would have wanted you to read the whole thing." I asked, making sure that he wouldn't take advantage of the opportunity. 

"Nope. There is no need for that. How about you just give it to your spy? Yep, I know about Dwight." Negan replied.

"What? But.... fine. I will give the letter to Dwight. Now, Carl said that, well, he asked you to stop. He asked Rick to stop. He wanted peace. That's all he ever wanted. You both can live." I skimmed through the letter and summarised. I tried to ignore the fact that he knew about Dwight.

"Wow. I can totally imagine something like that coming out of his mouth. But I'm afraid, as much as it pains me to go against the late kid, but I cannot do that. I will continue to fight you. Now farewell. Until we meet again." He left, causing the walkie talkie to turn to static. I looked over at Daryl, who was looking at me nervously. 

"He knows about Dwight. Where is he anyway?" I asked. 

"He's with Rick. They're talking over there." Daryl pointed to where Rick and Dwight seemed to be having a heated conversation. I ran over hurriedly. 

"Dwight, Negan knows about you. But he promised not to hurt you if you give him this." I handed Carl's letter over to him, before turning to Rick.

"Dwight says he has been making notes about Negan's plan. But can we trust it now that we know about Negan?" Rick asked. I shook my head, eyeing Dwight carefully. 

"I guess we'll have just have to act on loyalty and trust." I replied. 

"There's not a lot of that anymore." 


	76. Liars and Fools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale of season 8. Who will the war?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Finale time!. I'll probably post the start of season 9 tomorrow. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 7 (Season 8 Part 2) - Liars and Fools

Daryl and I made sure that Beth was fast asleep in her crib, before leaving the house. I put all of my weapons in their holsters and made sure that I had my hidden knife in my shoe. I packed a first aid kit in my bag, I would definitely be needing it. 

Three-quarters of Alexandria were preparing to infiltrate Negan's plan. Which had been given to us by Gregory. We all knew that there was a high chance of it being a double-cross, so that's why we would go prepared. We all got into our vehicles and met out on a hill with the other fighters from Hilltop, Oceanside, and Kingdom. Everyone looked nervous because we had all been told there was a high chance we would lose our lives today. We had to say goodbye to our loved ones. Daryl and I had left Rick in charge of looking after Beth if we died, but if he died as well, then it would go to Carol and so on.

The leaders of the communities got together. "Do we all know what we are doing?" Rick asked. Everyone nodded in unison. Some hesitated but nodded all the same. We had to leave our vehicles behind so that we had the element of surprise on our hands at least. 

We trudged through the mud and grass and up a hill. There was a tree that had a pretty broken window hanging from it. We looked around, as this was where they were meant to be, and I felt my hands go numb with fear, but I tried not to show it on my face. 

"Shit." I whispered as I heard the familiar sound of Negan laughing. We turned around to see hundreds of Saviors aiming assault rifles. They surrounded us, engulfing us in a large circle. Negan stepped in. 

"Hey there Rick. I want to start this off, by saying my condolences. Carl was an alright dude. I'll miss him." Negan said sincerely. But then his mocking face returned. "But enough of that, I just wanted to make sure you know how much I have put you through. And I have out your friends through. You know, before we murder I might even torture your people, just like I did with Daryl and Alana over there." He gestured towards and I felt anger and hatred rise in the pit of my stomach. He edged closer to Rick. "But if you look, I have already got Eugene and Gabriel making bullets for me. In fact, I think they with us today. To see all of their friends die, because of their own work." He turned to face Eugene and Gabriel. Gabriel's left eye was completely misted over as if he was blind from an illness. 

Eugene gave a grimace, and so did Gabriel. "Enough talk. Now to die." Negan raised his hand to allow his Saviors to shoot. I reached and held hands with Daryl. Bracing myself for impact. 

But it never came. Instead, I watched as the guns backfired and all of the Saviors fell to the ground, their guns had misfired. I looked over at Eugene and smiled gratefully. Rick turned to Negan, who was shocked. "Carl wanted us to live in peace, and we could have. But you threatened my family. You shouldn't have done that." Rick spoke in the same menacing tone that he had spoken to the Governor in. He used a piece of the window glass and quickly drew it across Negan's throat, who looked at him with shock in his eyes. 

I looked over at Maggie, who was smiling, she must have been happy to see her husband's killer be killed in such a way. But I looked back at Rick and saw something change in his eyes. He was looking at Negan, but then he turned to me. "Alana and Siddiq, save him. Don't let him die." He sounded certain, and he had the shadows of tears in his eyes. I hesitated, Maggie held my arm, but Daryl and Michonne held her back as Siddiq and I ran over to Negan and began to save his life. I tried to ignore my morals and ignore the painful screams coming from Maggie. I tried to ignore my brain screaming at me to stab the shard of glass even further into his throat because of what he did to Daryl and me. 

Once I had patched him up as best I could with what we had, I placed a temporary bandage over Negan's throat, until we got back to the infirmary and would be able to fix it. I looked back up at Rick. "It is what Carl wanted. He was my son and it was his dying wish. What kind of father would I have been to deny him that?" He asked, rhetorically. I nodded, understanding. 

We arrived back at Alexandria and fully fixed Negan's throat. We placed him in a bed until he would wake up. We waited. Rick and Michonne were the only ones that stayed up all night with me, waiting. When he did wake up, the first thing that happened was me advising him. "Negan, don't speak, it will hurt more than anything you have ever felt. Your larynx is healing. Let it heal." I told him, before sitting back down. 

"Negan, you were unconscious when I explained, but I went against the popular opinion in saving you. I hope you know that I didn't do it for you. Or me. I did it for Carl. It's what he wanted. Now, you are probably going to wish I had killed you, but you need to be grateful for what Siddiq and Alana did for you, especially considering what you did to Alana. You almost killed her. In fact, you did kill her. But she managed to come back. Just like you. We're going to lock you up for the rest of your miserable life, and we are going to live in peace. Just what Carl wanted." Rick explained. He walked out. Followed closely by Michonne, leaving Negan and me alone in the room. 

I walked over to him, his fearful expression made the moment even more memorable. 

"To answer your question, I am Alana Dixon. And you are no one." I whispered, hoping that my words hit him like knives, before leaving. To finally move onto other things than him. 


	77. Weak Points

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 18 months later, things have changed and now the communities face different obstacles in a different form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 9th Season! The fanfiction will end at the end of season 11, but I might do like short stories later on in the year, just to add to it. Like a game having DLC basically. I hope you enjoy it! :) This one will be very long so I apologize in advance.

Chapter 1 (Season 9 Part 1) - Weak Points

It had been one of the quietest 18 months of my life that I had ever had in this new world. Well, quiet as in no lunatic with a bat having killed any of my close friends. 

I woke up next to Daryl. With Beth still in her crib at the foot of the bed. She was starting to get too big for it, and we were worried about what we were going to do when she needed a proper bed. But she wasn't quite big enough for one of those just yet. She babbled often, incoherently. But we praised her anyway. 

We had started using the blueprints Maggie had given us from when she had met Georgie on the road. We now had fresh water coming from a lake that could be filtered so that it was clean, and Eugene was even working on getting us power. But I didn't have high hopes on that front. 

Ezekiel and Carol had married privately, in the presence of only themselves, but I couldn't blame them, as that was what Daryl and I had done. 

I slowly traveled downstairs, my legs aching slightly from the last run. I found Judith stumbling around by herself and picked her up. "Hello! What are you doing all by yourself? Do you want some food?" I gave her some of her favorite food, and after about half an hour of playing, Michonne came down the stairs, she looked worried but she calmed down when she saw me with Judith. "Is everything ok?" I asked her, getting to my feet. 

"Yes, I just saw that Judith wasn't in her bed anymore. Thank you for taking care of her for me." She replied, smiling. 

"No problem." I replied, I walked over to the fruit bowl and grabbed an apple before leaving the house into bright daylight. I walked over to where Negan's cell was. He had a room that was in a basement. It had a small barred window that he could use to see out onto the street. I looked in and saw that he wasn't asleep, but instead, he was looking up at the ceiling. I wondered into the room, and he barely even acknowledged me entering. "I need to give you your food." I told him, sitting down in a chair by his cell. He didn't reply. 

"Come on, Negan. If you don't eat you'll die." I urged, thrusting the apple through the bars in the cell, but he didn't take it. I realized what he was trying to do. "You can't starve yourself. There is still life out there. I know that people like Rick or Michonne or Maggie won't be quick to let you out anytime soon, but we have to at least hope. I have forgiven you for what you did to me, but I will never forgive you for what you did to Daryl. Just take the goddamn apple, Negan." I threw apple gently at him so that he caught it. He looked at me, having given up trying to be suicidal. 

"Ok, I'm glad we got that covered. Gabriel wants to come and talk to you about some of your Saviors. They've been disappearing from the Sanctuary and we need to know if that is what they are like or something is happening to them. We may even consider giving you something more than an apple to eat if you answer well." I sighed, getting up to leave the room. 

I was still deciding when was the right time to tell Daryl the big news. I had kept it a secret for so long. My thoughts were interrupted by Rick, who came walking overlooking happy. "Thank you for taking care of Judith this morning. That was very kind of you." He began. I nodded appreciatively. "We are going to go on a special run today. We need extra guns and ammo, and Rosita told me about a pioneering museum in Washington D.C. It's not far, we can probably get there by midday. They'll have all sorts of stuff unless it's been raided already." Rick explained. 

"Ooo. A pioneering museum. We are broadening our horizons. Alright, I'll go and wake Daryl up." I told Rick, before running back up and into the house. He was still fast asleep, so I gently tapped his shoulder to wake him up, so that it only would wake him up and not Beth. He turned to me and looked at me with tired eyes.

"Hey, Dixon. It's time to wake up. We're going to Washington to get some supplies." I explained, he let out a sigh before getting to his feet. I checked on Beth while he got dressed. She was still fast asleep. I kissed her on the forehead and followed Daryl out of the house and towards where everyone was waiting. There was Rosita, Michonne, Rick, and Gabriel. "There's not a lot of us. Are we planning on stopping off at Hilltop or Kingdom on the way?" I asked, climbing onto the back of Daryl's motorcycle. 

Rick smiled. "Yep. We're stopping by Kingdom so that we can pick up Ezekiel and Carol. Maggie has other things to do though." He explained. We started speeding down the road, hurtling towards The Kingdom. 

We finally arrived and Ezekiel and Carol got into one of the cars. Daryl and I followed Rick, along with everyone else, because he had the map. After a couple of hours, we finally reached the pioneering museum. It was huge and had a glass dome on top. We got out of the vehicles and got our weapons ready. I held my sword in my hand, and Daryl carried his crossbow. 

We walked in, but when there was no sign of walkers, we put our weapons away and began searching the place. I ran up the huge stairs and gasped when I saw a huge trailer cart that could be pulled by horses. "Hey, Rick. If we get some of our horses, we could easily use this to transport between communities. What do you think?" I asked. He stood next to me and looked at it all.

"Wow. It's good, but how would we get it back?" He asked me. I thought about it for a moment.

"We could attach it to the cars with the trailer hook." I explained. He nodded.

"We just need to get it down the stairs." He turned to everyone else. "Alright, I'm gonna need some help to get this down the stairs. Ezekiel, you go at the front and make sure it doesn't get dropped down the stairs. Alana and I will push it from this end, Rosita and Gabriel get the sides. Alright, 1,2,3. Up!" He commanded. Rick and I slowly pushed the cart, making sure that Ezekiel had it at the other end. We began to push it down the stairs carefully. I looked around while we did this, and saw that the ground floor was made of glass and that another exhibit was below. There were multiple walkers down there. We pushed it with a thud and it landed on the ground floor. "Ok, now we just need to get it outside." Rick said. We continued pushing. I heard a crack beneath us and looked down in horror. 

"Shit, the floor is breaking. We need to hurry!"I informed them. We increased speed and I tried to ignore the multiple cracking sounds beneath us. Just in time, we pushed it outside, but Rick and I were still standing on the glass when it all smashed to pieces. Rick managed to get hold of the door, but I couldn't hold onto anything. I heard Daryl shout and felt my hand being yanked. Michonne had caught me. I looked up at her and smiled gratefully but when I looked back down, I gasped. There were multiple walkers reaching up for my legs hungrily. 

I tried to kick their hands away. "Pull me up. Please." I whispered. 

"I'm still standing on a bit of glass here. If I pull you up, then I'll fall too. We need a rope." Michonne looked around. Daryl threw her some and she trusted it into my hand. I grabbed it tightly. She disappeared and heard them all stand together holding the rope. I shrieked as walker pulled at my prosthetic, but they pulled me out just in time. Daryl held me in his arms. I was breathless. 

"Wow. Thank you, guys." I whispered, getting back up to my feet. 

"Alright, we should get out of here. I grabbed all of the ammo and snipers that they had here. So we can head out." Rick sighed. We walked back and I helped attach the cart to Rosita's car. We started down the road and back towards the community. 

We managed to get back to the bridge that led to a shortcut by Hilltop. But it was completely destroyed. "Must have been a storm." I sighed, into the walkie talkie." 

"We'll have to fix that. Let's go back the long way then." Rick replied. We started our extremely long drive home. 


	78. After Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sanctuary continues to suffer. Maggie starts her wrath.

Chapter 2 (Season 9 Part 1) - After Dark

We arrived back at Alexandria, having dropped off Carol and Ezekiel and the cart back at the Kingdom. They had the most horses and they were going to start training the horses with the cart first. 

When we arrived, I sat on a nearby bench and took out my walkie talkie. "Maggie, are you there?" I asked. A couple of minutes went by, but she replied. 

"Yeah, I'm here. Are you ok? How did the run go?" She asked. 

"Yeah, I'm ok. We got a cart that we could use to transport goods between the community. The Kingdom is training their horses first, then it will go to you, then us. As we have the least horses." I explained. 

"Sounds good. But, it sounds like there is something you aren't telling me." She replied. I sighed.

"There is. I haven't told anyone, but I figured I may as well tell you first. I trust you. Is this a private channel?" I asked. 

There was a beep but then she replied, "Now it is. What ya got?" She asked. 

"I'm... pregnant." I whispered, making sure that no one could hear me. She replied straight away. 

"Oh my god. Again? Congratulations. Do you have enough supplies for another child though?" She sounded concerned. 

"That's what I was thinking. I still have time to get an abortion, but I'm running out of time by the day." I whispered, nervously. 

"You should keep it. But don't talk to me about this, you should talk to Daryl. I assume it's his. Anyway, is there anything else?" She asked. 

"Yeah, Rick wants me to ask if you have considered helping out the people at the Sanctuary yet." I replied, back in my normal tone. 

"Not again. Tell him no. They are not taking my supplies from me. They are killers, Alana. Don't you see that?" She asked, starting to get frustrated. 

"We all are, Maggie. You know how much I don't agree with this, but I trust Rick. He has a plan, and well, they were only doing what they had to for survival. Mostly." I replied, in a careful tone. There was no reply so I sighed and turned off my radio. Daryl came up behind me making me jump. He laughed. I smiled when I saw that he was holding Beth. He sat down on the bench next to me. 

"Hey." He smiled. 

"Hey, Daryl. There is something I need to tell you. Something I need your help with." I told him.

"Alright. Shoot." He looked at me carefully through his blue eyes. 

"There is no other way to say this. So I'm going to be a bit blunt. I'm pregnant again." I watched his reaction, thoughtfully.

He looked shocked, then worried. "But what about what happened last time? You got really sick. You died!" He stressed. I placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. 

"It's ok. We have everything we would need here. And we don't have anyone torturing us this time." I explained. He nodded.

"Yeah, but, it just makes me nervous. I don't want to lose you." He whispered. I held his hand in mine. 

"It's ok, Daryl. I promise you, you won't lose me. So are you happy?" I asked him. When I said this, he relaxed. 

"I am very." He smiled. We sat on the bench together for a while, with Beth. 

"Alana, Daryl. Get ready to go to Hilltop." Rick said in a concerned tone, almost angry tone. I looked at Daryl nervously but got prepared to leave again. We out Beth with Judith to be looked over by Gabriel, and waited by the cars for Rick. He arrived with Rosita, Michonne, and Eugene. 

"What's happening?" I asked, as we all crammed into one large car. The car started, and Rick started to drive down the road. 

"Gregory's trial. It was Maggie's idea." Michonne sighed. I nodded, in understanding.

We arrived at Hilltop, but it was dark already. When we walked into the small community, I saw many people, all gathered around a construction site. Gregory was standing behind a rope, a noose. I gasped. "A lynching?" I whispered in shock. "This is medieval." I finished. We gathered in a group to watch. 

Maggie walked forwards and addressed us all. "Not everyone will be ok with how I am handling things. But he tried to assassinate me and gave Enid a head injury. Frankly, I don't know why he is still here. He tried to kill all of you!" Maggie explained. When she looked at me, I diverted my eyes away, I heard Gregory crying for help. 

"Put it on." Maggie commanded, I looked back and saw Gregory with the rope around his neck. "Do you have any last words?" She asked. I kept my eyes on her at all times. 

"I-I don't want to die. Please. I'm so sorry!" He screamed. Maggie nodded to a Hilltop worker and kicked the stool from under him, he gasped and there was a horrific crack as his neck broke, causing him to swing motionless in the air. I looked back at Maggie, fearful of what path she was starting down. 

Everyone dispersed, apart from our group. We walked over to Maggie."Maggie, what was that about?" I asked in shock. 

"It was to set an example. And next, is Negan." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm going to be doing a walking dead game fanfiction too! But I'm going to try and finish this one first. :)


	79. Construction Site

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month after the events of Hilltop, the communities, including the Saviors, have come together to help build the bridge again.

Chapter 3 (Season 9 Part 1) - Construction Site

It had been a month since Gregory had died. About halfway into that month, Michonne had come to me in the infirmary. Everyone knew that I was pregnant now, so my amount of runs had been reduced. 

She had asked me to give her a checkup, and she seemed worried. So I gave her a quick checkup and found that she was pregnant with Rick's baby. There wasn't a celebration/ But that was the only thing profound that had happened at that time, it made me miss the old days. 

I ran down the stairs, determined to catch Daryl before he left to help with the construction of the bridge, he was climbing onto his motorbike when I reached him. 

"Hey." I smiled, he looked over at me. 

"Is everything ok? You need to rest." He sounded concerned. 

"I'm fine! I just wanted to say goodbye before you left." I smiled, he relaxed and nodded. I hugged him before he started his engine. 

"If you need anything, just call." I pointed to his walkie talkie, then mine, he nodded and hurtled down the road. 

I sighed and walked back over to the house, but was stopped when I saw Michonne walking out of the house. She smiled at me. "Hey." She greeted. 

"Hey. How are you doing?" I asked, her bump wasn't noticeable yet, so the majority of people didn't know about her pregnancy. Whereas my bump was starting to protrude. 

"I'm ok. I'm on watch now." She explained, walking over to the wall. I followed her, and we both sat together on top of the wall, looking out at the landscape, and shooting the occasional walker. 

"I remember doing this with Maggie when she was pregnant with Hershel and I was pregnant with Beth." I sighed. She gave me a sad smile. "Time's have changed. And so has she." I finished. Michonne nodded in agreement. 

"She's not doing well. She's angry at everyone. Especially Alexandria and us for not killing Negan. I don't think she'll ever forgive us." Michonne whispered. Our thoughts were interrupted by my walkie talkie turning on. 

"This is Maggie. I'm only saying this once, and if no ones listening then that's your fault. I'm giving a little bit of food and water to the people at the Sanctuary. But only a little. I'll send by horse and cart." Maggie explained, she sounded a mixture of frustrated and sad. I gasped.

"Maggie! That's great. Thank you so much, they will be so pleased. I knew you would pull through." I smiled. She didn't reply. I realized that Michonne's attention had been drawn away from Maggie and me, and instead she was looking worriedly out over the land.

I followed her gaze and my mouth fell open when I saw what was coming. There was a hoard of walkers heading towards Alexandria. I gasped and turned my walkie talkie back on. "This is Alana, at Alexandria. There is a stage 3 hoard heading to Alexandria. I think I see Aaron at the front of it. He's running towards us." I explained, rushed. 

"Ok! I'm on my way. I'll get the people from the bridge to help too." Rick explained. I picked up one of the scoped assault rifles and scoped in on Aaron, I watched as he got surrounded, he ran but his arm was trapped under a log, being crushed. I dropped the gun and reached for my sword and knife. "I'm going after Aaron." I told Michonne. She nodded and followed me out of the gates. They closed behind us and we ran through the hoard, swiping with our swords, causing blood to squirt everywhere. 

We reached Aaron, who was screaming in pain. Michonne covered us while I carefully lifted the log up and off him and held his arm over my shoulder so that he could lean on me. We limped quickly back into Alexandria, and a couple of walkers got past the gate, but they closed in time. Michonne killed the walkers, while I made my way to the infirmary with Aaron. 

I lifted his sleeve up and gasped. There was a bone sticking out of his wrist, grotesquely, and blood poured everywhere. He looked at me with fear. 


	80. Secret Killing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana helps Aaron with his arm. The group deals with the walkers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning a walking dead game fanfiction. Also, I totally recommend it, if you haven't played it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I started it at exactly 1.30 am so I apologize for any mistakes. 
> 
> PS: If you do know the walking dead game then,   
>  aren't Kenny and Lee just amazing?

Chapter 4 (Season 9 Part 1) - Secret Killing

The blood from his arm spilt all over the floor and all of me, so I applied as much pressure as I could. Aaron had passed out when he had seen the bone outside of where it was supposed to be. 

I looked up briefly and saw Daryl and Rick, and many people from Alexandria, Hilltop and the Kingdom. They were all fighting the walkers, and I calculated that all of the walkers would be dead within about 40 minutes. I looked back down at Aaron and sighed. Siddiq was still asleep so I would have to do this by myself. The arm would have to be cut off. 

I looked around for nearby medical supplies and picked up everything essential that I could find. I turned back to Aaron, making sure that his pulse didn't stop. I then proceeded to coat the area in as much anaesthetic as I could. But it wouldn't be enough. I tied him down, in case he woke up in the middle of it. Then I picked up the cleanest and sharpest bone saw, that would go straight through it. I lifted it and brought it down with as much strength as possible. 

This caused blood to spurt all over my face and clothing, I looked up and saw that everyone was still working on the walkers. I continued to work on his arm until it was completely amputated and bandaged up. I worked through the notes that Siddiq had made on everyone's blood types until I found Aaron's. I then ran into the back room and picked up one of the few blood bags that we had and inserted a drip into his arm so that everyone now and then I would be able to give him the blood that he needed. I inserted a small amount of blood to keep him alive, but too much and he wouldn't be able to take it. I just had to make sure that he would wake up. 

Maggie, Daryl and Rick all came running in, and I realized that the hoard was completely dead. They looked at me, as I was covered from head to toe in blood. But so were they. Their gaze turned to Aaron's stump. "Will he be ok?" Rick asked. 

"I have done everything I can. The only thing we can do now is wait for him to wake up." I explained, they nodded. Rick exited so that he could go and find Michonne. Leaving Daryl, Maggie and I alone. 

"Ok, now that Rick is gone, I have to tell you both something." Daryl whispered. I furrowed my brow and he sighed. "I could only say it when Rick wasn't here. He's too stressed at the moment, there is too much going on. But please do listen, both of you." He explained, we both nodded and awaited his next explanation. 

"People from the Sanctuary have been going missing. Saviors. I think it's Oceanside." He whispered, looking at us nervously. 

"Ok. We should investigate this." I replied. Maggie nodded. 

"We should go right now, and we can probably be back before Rick notices. Let's go." Daryl whispered. We grabbed our weapons and piled quickly int a car, before speeding off down the road. We were making our way to Oceanside when we heard a cry coming from a nearby abandoned school. 

"That's strange. I thought that we had cleared that school out ages ago." Maggie suggested. Daryl nodded and we sneaked out of the vehicle and creeped behind a wall. I gasped when I saw Cyndi and several other Oceanside soldiers were aiming guns at Arat's head. She was a sanctuary guard that had worked closely with Negan. Cyndi was explaining something, while she got her gun ready. Arat was on her knees with her hands behind her head. 

"We need to intervene before things get ugly." I whispered, but Maggie shook her head.

"I want to see how this plays out." She replied. 

I listened closely to what Cyndi was saying. "- and then you killed my father. Along with everyone else's. You killed my brother. Do you know how long it took me to get over that? Never!" She shouted. Arat was crying. There was no hesitation. Cyndi pulled the trigger on the gun. 

And Arat was dead.


	81. Price to Pay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie finally breaks. Aaron wakes up, and the Saviors find out about what Oceanside has been doing.

Chapter 5 (Season 9 Part 1) - Price to Pay

We arrived back at Alexandria, and I headed straight back to the infirmary, Aaron was still unconscious, but his pulse was steadying. 

I looked around for what I could use as a prosthetic and I heard Daryl enter the room. "Do you remember when Glenn found this prosthetic for me?" I asked him. 

"Yeah, I remember. And then Hershel attached it onto your bone so that it would be safe to run around with." Daryl explained. I smiled, and he smiled back. 

"I don't know what to put on his stump. I was thinking something like Merle, you know?" I told him, he smiled at me with nostalgia. 

"Yeah, so something badass then?" Daryl laughed. 

"Yeah, definitely." I replied. I rummaged around in the backroom and reappeared again with a metal stump, that had a knife connected to it. "Wow, it's just like the one Merle had." I laughed, attaching it to Aaron's arm. But then I straightened up and became serious again. 

"What are we gonna do about-" I was cut off by Rick shouting my name. I ran out of the infirmary and over to Rick who was standing near Negan's cell. I gasped when I saw that he was blocking the door from Maggie. "What is going on here?" I asked, in confusion.

"Maggie is trying to kill Negan." Rick grunted, holding Maggie back and away from the door. I sighed and walked over to her. She was clutching a knife in her hand. 

"Maggie, don't. If we kill him, then we'll be just as bad as him. Where's the line?" I asked her. But she just continued to try and fight her way in. Tears started to fill my eyes when I saw how much pain Negan was putting her through, even by being locked up in a cell. "Look, I'm so sorry about Glenn, Maggie. And I always will be. He was a great guy and I'll never forget him. But we can't keep hating Negan. It's exhausting. What would Hershel think of you? Because I don't think he'd be very pleased with you trying to kill a defenceless man." I explained, my words eased her and she stopped fighting. She stormed out of Alexandria and into her car, before hurtling back down the road. 

I looked back at Rick and sighed. "Is Negan still alive? He's not starved to death or anything?" I asked. 

"Negan's alive." Rick replied, resigned slightly. My walkie talkie buzzed on, so I brought it out of my pocket and signaled for Rick to listen in. 

"This is Carol. We were on a run, and we went past the bridge. The Saviors are rioting, because of the things Oceanside is doing." Carol explained. 

"Wait. You knew about what Oceanside was doing?" I asked shocked. 

"Yeah. We thought everyone already knew. I'm sorry. But that's not our main concern right now. We need to get them under control, otherwise, they are going to attract a nearby herd." Carol sighed. I nodded to Rick who nodded back in agreement. 

Michonne, Rick, Daryl, Rosita, Eugene, and I piled into a truck and sped out towards the bridge. We parked and quickly met up with Carol and Maggie who were looking nervously at what was happening across the bridge. The Saviors were gone, and instead, there was a huge herd coming towards us from the other end. "We have to divert it." I heard a familiar voice say. I looked over and saw Jesus coming towards us, riding a white horse. 

"I haven't seen you in a while." I smiled. 

"I've been working for Maggie over at Hilltop and the Kingdom. You know, getting supplies." He replied. But I looked back at the herd and all of that recent happiness was replaced with fear and stress. 

"I'll take your horse. I can divert them away." Rick made his mind up without hesitation. Jesus jumped off the horse and was replaced by Rick. 

"No, it's too dangerous!" Michonne stressed. 

"I'll be fine. I've been through worse, and I have my back covered." He smiled. 

"Good luck, Rick. We'll cover you." I smiled at him. He nodded at me before riding onto the bridge, shooting his gun in the air, and riding back across towards the woods, and away from the communities. We went back to the vehicles to avoid the walkers coming back. As we drove quietly and as slowly as possible, to avoid the walkers, we watched as Rick disappeared into the distance, with the walkers following. 


	82. Gone but not Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rick is injured, but will he make it past the walkers?

Chapter 6 (Season 9 Part 1) - Gone but not Forgotten

We had been circling the area for hours. But there was no sign of Rick or the herd. I could tell everyone was getting nervous. 

Finally, we parked up by a couple of trees, to look at the map and see how far we had gone out. We were miles away from home. 

"There is no way he went this far away with a herd. That's just not possible. There is something wrong. We have to find him." Michonne stressed, but I put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her. 

"Breathe, Michonne. You can't handle the stress. Especially not you and I." I whispered, in case not everyone knew. She nodded and breathed carefully. We looked back at the map and I could tell that Daryl was getting nervous too. We all were. 

"We should make our way back home, and circle the area a couple more times while we do that." I explained. Everyone nodded and we got back in our vehicles and began our long drive home. 

On the way back, I looked over at Daryl and sighed. "Daryl. Rick's strong. He's going to make it. I promise you that." I whispered, Daryl gave a weak smile of appreciation before returning his eyes to the road.

We finally made it back to the bridge, but the cars ahead of us braked quickly. We all got out to see what the fuss was about and gasped when I saw it. 

Rick was standing on the bridge, he was bleeding from his abdomen, and the herd was coming towards him. I could see dynamite in the midst of all of the walkers, and I knew exactly what Rick was thinking of doing. I heard Michonne scream and Maggie and Carol held her back from running into the walkers. 

Daryl shot some of the walkers with his arrows, but there was nothing he could do to stop them from surrounding Rick. "No!" I shrieked, as he looked at us, with sadness, but a sort of resigned happiness in his eyes. He said something, before shooting the dynamite, causing fire to engulf the entire bridge. When I looked back, the bridge was completely demolished, and none of the walkers were left. 

"Shit." I whispered, through sobs. Michonne had collapsed to the ground and I heard almost everyone crying and swearing. "This can't be real. No, that didn't just happen." I whispered I ran into the water, ignoring the shouts from behind me. There had to be something left. His body. Anything. But my tears stopped when I didn't find a thing. "What?" I whispered, I heard footsteps behind me and swiveled around. Daryl and Carol were in front of me looking at me with red swollen eyes from crying. 

"There's no body." I whispered. 

"The fire might have engulfed him too." Carol whispered, her voice breaking. 

"No, that's not right. Maybe he did survive." Daryl replied. He looked around and came to the same conclusion that I did. "He might have made it. We don't know." Daryl's tears stopped. 

My tears stopped, but I still felt the pain deep inside me. 

Rick Grimes was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this Rick plotline is where I will be changing it from the future of the walking dead tv show, but it will hopefully have a few similarities with the plot in the future episodes. :)


	83. 6 years later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 6 years later after the bridge incident, the communities are different. Maggie is gone, Beth is growing up and Daryl and Alana have another child. The communities are still trying to find their way, but without Rick to guide them through it, will they survive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final episode of part 1 of season 9. I will continue with part 2 fairly soon. I hope you enjoy! :) 
> 
> PS: I changed Judith's parents slightly.

Chapter 7 (Season 9 Part 1) - 6 years later

6 years. That's how long it had been since Rick had... well since the bridge exploded. And his loss still hurt. 

I had given birth a couple of months after, and Michonne had given birth about three months after me. I had given birth to another baby girl called Lilly, while Michonne gave birth to a boy named RJ, Rick Junior. His name always made me smile. 

Daryl didn't mind the gender of the baby as long as I was safe. And it was a lot easier this time because almost everyone that I loved was around me and I had all of the correct medical equipment that I needed and a trained doctor instead of myself. 

Lilly was 5 years old, and Beth was 7. She had grown up to look a lot like her father, they shared the same hair color and the same eyes, except she still had my freckles and my clumsiness. Lilly was turning out to look a lot like me this time, which made us both happy. She had long hair that was dark brown but had a beautiful tint of blonde in it, and her eyes were big and hazel, just like mine. Except she didn't have freckles, instead she had Daryl's nose and his quiet personality. 

Beth was strong and optimistic, whereas Lilly was quiet and clever. They looked out for each other, and Beth even let Lilly and RJ play with Judith and herself. 

Watching them all be happy was one of the highlights of everyone's days. If not months. But we all had work to do. Negan was still locked up, but everyone now and then I would let Beth and Judith talk to him so that he could share what being a school teacher was like, and they could give him happiness even while being behind bars. Everyone was happy, but some people, like Michonne, were still not doing too well. 

I was proud of how far everyone had come. Especially Judith, who now wore Carl's, previously Rick's, sheriff hat on her head. It always made me smile the way that she had Rick's color of hair instead of Shanes, I wish that Rick and Lori would have known that she was their's and not Shane's, but I tried to move on from those thoughts. No matter how hard it was. 

I walked down to the quiet infirmary, where the only injuries that came in were about gardening accidents. We didn't have to go on runs anymore because we grew our own food, thanks to Maggie's blueprints. 

Maggie had left about two years ago, she was sorry to leave but she said she needed space, she told me she would be back, but she took Hershel with her so it wasn't seeming very likely she would come back any time soon. I missed her, but I knew that both she and Rick would come back eventually, I stayed hopeful. 

I double-checked we had all of the right equipment in the backroom before walking over to the gates of Alexandria, where Michonne was packing her car. "Is everything ok?" I asked her. She looked up at me and smiled.

"I'm just going on a run, I'll be back soon, can you watch for Judith and Beth? They said they were coming home soon, so please contact me on the walkie talkie when they return. " She explained, I nodded. I hugged her before she got in her car and drove off down the road. I jumped when I felt arms wrap around my waist and when I turned around, Daryl kissed me. I laughed. 

His hair was getting longer every day, and I always told him to cut it so that it doesn't get as dirty, and it can't be grabbed by walkers that easily. But he ignored me, which amused me. We broke apart and he looked at me smiling. "That was unexpected!" I laughed, and he shrugged his shoulders, we were interrupted by a small knock on the gate, so I pulled it open, and to my surprise, Beth and Judith were standing there with large smiles, but there was a group of adults behind them. 

One had long dark hair and swords, another had tattoos all over her arms, there was a younger girl, maybe a teenager that was shorter than the rest of them, and she stood next to another woman that had dark frizzy hair and big round brown eyes. There was a man that was short, he looked like a teacher from before the walkers. 

"We brought friends." 


	84. Radio Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new group arrives at Alexandria, but it is up to the council on whether or not they stay. Meanwhile, Rosita and Eugene get into trouble with some new walkers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second part of season 9 and it is my longest season yet. It will have 10 chapters, but they will be action-packed, so I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 9 Part 2) - Radio Tower 

Judith and Beth smiled at us innocently, and Michonne and I stood there, shocked and worried. "Who... are they?" I whispered, not moving my gaze from the new people. 

"I am Magna." The woman with the tattoos said in a serious tone. She pointed to the woman with the long dark hair and the swords. "This is Yumiko." Yumiko smiled, but she seemed serious too. Magna pointed to the youngest girl. "This is Kelly, and this is Kelly's sister Connie." Magna pointed to the woman with frizzy hair. She waved at me. "And that guy is Luke." She pointed to the awkward-looking man, who smiled warmly. 

I hesitated, but when I realized that Michonne wasn't going to talk, I did instead. "Um, hello. I am Alana and this is Michonne. I see you have already met out daughters. I want to welcome you to Alexandria, but I'll have to check with everyone else. You can come in, I think we have some spare food if you're hungry." I smiled, as welcoming as I possibly could. As I spoke, in the corner of my ear, I saw Kelly interpreting everything I was saying into sign language and Connie was looking at her hands. 

They smiled at me gratefully as I showed them to a bench for them to sit down, while I got all of the Alexandrian leaders together for a meeting. I called Daryl, Michonne, Rosita, Eugene, Siddiq, Gabriel, and Aaron on the walkie talkie. Everyone apart from Rosita and Eugene turned up, as those two were working on fixing a radio tower for Eugene's project. 

We sat behind a long table and Magna's group entered. I told Beth and Judith to sit in the corner of the room so that they could say how and why they met this group. I introduced all of the people to the rest of the leaders and then sat back down. 

"Do we have any more space for new people?" Gabriel asked, looking down the table worriedly. 

"We can pull our own weight. We just want somewhere to call home." Yumiko stressed I nodded understandingly. 

"I think that if more people come then we can just plant more vegetables in the garden, right?" I suggested, there were a few nods of approval. 

"We don't know these people. They could be dangerous." Michonne spoke, frustrated. She looked at Magna. "You look like you were in prison. Those tattoos." I was shocked at that but Magna just nodded slowly. 

"You're right. I was. But that's not me anymore. I promise. We only want somewhere to stay." Magna replied. My walkie talkie turned on and Rosita spoke. 

"I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting but Eugene and I have found something.. strange. Don't come to us yet. It's not safe, but just be ready." Her line cut out into static. I frowned and looked up, realizing all eyes were on me. 

"I- uh. I think we should come to our conclusion of this meeting pretty soon." I stuttered. "I vote they stay. We can grow more food. And they can go to Hilltop if they have to. I know that they have more rooms now." I explained. "So who else?" People nodded, Daryl first, then more and more, until everyone agreed. Gabriel and Michonne were hesitant, but they eventually agreed. The group was grateful and waited eagerly for more Michonne to take them to Hilltop. Judith and Beth were happy too. 

I walked back to the house, to where Lilly was playing on the floor of the kitchen with RJ. I sat down with them and sighed. 

Daryl was hardly ever around anymore. He had stayed with me through the pregnancy and a couple of months after I had given birth, but then he started going on searches. For Rick. He starting going out more and more, for longer and longer. It made me worried, and sad because I hardly ever saw him. Beth and Lilly were starting to notice too. 

Lilly's big hazel eyes looked up at me. "Mommy, is Daddy gone again?" She asked. I smiled comfortingly. 

"Yeah, and where is my Mommy?" RJ asked. I sighed and knelt down next to them. 

"Lilly your Daddy has just gone out to help find Uncle Rick. But don't worry, he'll be back soon. And RJ, your Mommy is just going to take some new people to Hilltop, but don't worry, they'll both be back in time for dinner." They smiled at me. I breathed in and then gave a big smile, before looking at what they were doing. They were drawing pictures of walkers, with various injuries. 

"Do you like them?" Lilly asked, giving the pictures to me, I was speechless at first but I put them down beside me. 

"They are beautiful, you guys. But maybe try drawing something more, friendly. Look here! RJ can you tell me what this is?" I picked up a nearby book and showed him a picture. 

"That's a butterfly!" He giggled. 

"You're so right! How about you both draw your own different butterflies? Remember they have to have the same patterns on their wings. I'll be back soon to look at them." I smiled at them, gave them some fresh pieces of paper, before taking the walker pictures out of the house. I watched, swallowing the lump in my throat as Daryl left again, followed by Michonne and Magna's group. I heard a sigh from beside me and looked to see Negan's face appearing behind the bars. 

"That sucks." He looked up at me. I frowned and walked into his room, but stayed on the other side of the bar to be safe. I sat down in the chair, still clutching the pictures in my hand. He sat down on the floor, leaning on the wall. 

"Marriage trouble?" He asked. 

"You could say that." I sighed. I looked at him, carefully. 

He raised his hands innocently. "Look, I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise you're the only person that actually talks to me without any death threats. I don't want that gone." He smiled. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. 

"Daryl, he goes out every day looking for Rick. He's been doing that for 6 years, Negan. 6 years. Don't get me wrong, I really want to find Rick, but he can't be anywhere in the area if Daryl has been searching for 6 years. Every time I tell him that he should take a break, he replies vaguely and just says he'll be back soon. I mean, I love him, and I know he loves me, but I just wish I had more time to show him that. But that's not the only problem." I gave Negan the pictures. He laughed.

"Shit! I knew it. Didn't I say that you're kids were gonna be serial killers?" He saw the look on my face and backtracked. "But this doesn't mean anything! You can just teach them not to draw that stuff. But what did you expect? They are growing up in the apocalypse! They aren't gonna be like the other kids from before the dead started walking. On the bright side, at least they know walkers are bad and that they should be taken down. It shows they aren't scared of them, just like their parents. You should be proud." He explained. I gasped, tears starting to fill my eyes. 

"That's... so sweet Negan. Thank you." 


	85. Travelling between Communities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana goes to Hilltop with Beth and Lilly, but things go sideways when Rosita and Eugene's situation gets worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one will be a short chapter, but the next one will be longer. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 2 (Season 9 Part 2) - Travelling between Communities

I got up from the chair and gave Negan some food. "Thanks." He replied. 

"Listen, Negan. I can never forget what you did to Abraham and Glenn. What you did to Daryl and I. But I know that's not you anymore, that won't resurrect anyone but I'm glad that its not you. Because the real you is a lot better. And I actually think I like you. I'm going to Hilltop, I'm going to take my daughters, Judith is out with Michonne, so I'm going to take RJ to Michonne too. So you are going to be left with Gabriel for a day or two." I explained. He sighed. 

"Guess I won't be eating for the next day or two. Thanks anyway." We said our goodbyes and I made my way to one of the pickup trucks. I helped Beth into the car, then RJ, then Lilly. Then I sat in the driver's seat. I made sure that Gabriel knew he was in charge, and I started the engine. 

"Gabriel, I'm going to be gone for a couple of days. Make sure Negan doesn't get out, but other than that, I trust you to run Alexandria by yourself. I know you're strong enough." I smiled. He nodded, I started the engine and sped off down the road. 

"Where are we going, Auntie Alana?" RJ asked. I smiled at him. 

"Don't worry RJ, we are just going to your Mom, and to your sister." I told him. They relaxed and we made our way to Hilltop.

When we arrived, the gates opened and I parked up. I got out and helped the kids out of the truck. RJ ran to Michonne and Judith, while Lilly and Beth stayed with me. "Hey, guys. Let's go and see Jesus and Tara." I smiled, they nodded and I carried Lilly in my arms. Beth carried a knife, but I had trained her safely, under careful supervision. But she was fully trained with a knife, she was allowed to carry one with her. Lilly and RJ were still too young though. 

We climbed the steps of Hilltop's house. And we walked into the main office, where Gregory used to sit. Now Tara and Jesus were looking out of a window talking about something, they turned around when I knocked on the door. A big smile appeared on both of their faces when they saw Beth and Lilly run in for hugs. Jesus hugged Lilly, and Beth hugged Tara. They broke apart and the children sat next to each other, leaning against the window. 

"Hey, Alana. What are you going here?" Tara asked, happily.

"I just came to stop by. To see how Magna's group settle in. Has Daryl stopped here, recently?" I asked. They shook their heads. 

"He only comes when you come. I was expecting to see him with you. He's looking for Rick again, isn't he?" Jesus sighed. I nodded. Before I had time to elaborate my walkie talkie turned on. 

"This is Daryl. Alana, Jesus, and Aaron need to meet up with Rosita and I at the shops. Eugene needs our help, and Rosita is injured. Alana, bring a first aid kit. And make sure you have all of your weapons with you." His voice sounded rushed. I took out my weapons from my bag and placed them in their holsters before kissing Beth and Lilly and the foreheads. I turned to Tara. 

"Tara, we won't be long. If you want you can ask Michonne to look after these guys while you watch over Hilltop. We'll stay in touch." Jesus and I waved goodbye and we both climbed onto one horse. We galloped towards the shops. 

There were no walkers, as we had cleared them out when we had cleared the shops, about four years ago.

I saw Aaron, Rosita, and Daryl and made sure Jesus knew. We pulled to the side and climbed off the horse. I ran towards them. I hugged Daryl, then raced to Rosita. She was sitting on top of a broken wall, and I jumped up with her. "It's my arm, I think it's broken." She pointed to her right arm and I nodded. 

"Can you move it?" I asked her and she shook her head. 

"If I do, it hurts like hell, and it doesn't move fully." She sighed. I started to fix her up while listening to what Daryl was saying. 

"Rosita said that they were fixing a pilon. Eugene got stuck up there, and Rosita got injured. It's a herd of walkers, so it shouldn't be that hard." Rosita raised her good arm in objection. 

"No, I have something to add to that. The walkers. I'm not sure what they were. But they were talking. Like whispering. Eugene nicknamed them the Whisperers."


	86. The Whisperers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A group goes on a rescue mission for Eugene, but they run into a new danger.

Chapter 3 (Season 9 Part 2) - The Whisperers

We looked at Rosita in shock, she now wore a cast on her arm to help with the bo "You're saying the walkers were talking?" Aaron asked. She nodded. 

"Let's get Eugene back, and then we can talk about the talking walkers." Daryl suggested. I nodded. I climbed onto the back of Daryl's motorcycle and he climbed onto the front. Jesus got back on his horse, and Aaron and Rosita got into a car. We followed Rosita down the road. 

On the way, I spoke into Daryl's ear, shouting over the noise of the bike. "Daryl, are you planning on coming home soon?" I asked. 

"I was heading home when I found Rosita." He replied. I smiled at him, and he smiled back, but then looked back at the road. 

We arrived near an electricity pilon, but there were no walkers around. Eugene wasn't far away either. I pointed to where he was, and we drove up to him. He was leaning against an electricity box, looking traumatized. I got off the bike, and everyone stood around him. I helped him to his feet. "Are you ok, Eugene?" I asked. 

"I- I heard the walkers, talking. I strongly advise that we get back to safety asap." He mumbled. 

"I know a shortcut, to an abandoned building, where Eugene can relax then tell us what he saw. The only problem is that we have to go through a cemetery." I explained. 

"That's ok. We can do that." Daryl nodded. We headed back to the vehicles, and Daryl led his way. I pointed in the directions of where to go until finally, we made it to the cemetery. We parked up and got out. "It's too tight to get through with cars and horses. We'll have to go on foot and come back for them later." Daryl sighed. 

We started walking through the graveyard when Rosita let out a pained gasp, she fell to the floor on her knees. "Rosita!" I whispered I knelt down next to her. "Does everyone have my back? Make sure no walkers get near us." I stressed.

"You got it." Jesus replied, and Aaron and Daryl nodded. I reached for my bag and pulled out the first aid kit. 

"Is it your arm?" I asked, quickly and she nodded. I lifted the cast slightly and saw that it was bruising. "Your bleeding internally in your arm." She looked at me worriedly, but I calmed her down. "It's ok, Siddiq and I can treat you, we just need to get back to an infirmary," I explained, she nodded and I put the cast back on and helped her to her feet. I gasped when I saw what had been happening while I was talking to Rosita. There were walkers surrounding us. Except they weren't walking towards us hungrily. They were standing there, looking at us with cold dead eyes, and rotten pale skin. 

"What is going on?" I whispered to Daryl, he shrugged. We got into a protective circle, each of us with weapons out. I held my sword, keeping them at a distance. Until one of them approached us and Daryl put an arrow in its head. There was a gasp, but it didn't sound like it had come from one of us. The walker fell to the ground, blood pooling around it.

I heard a pained sigh and turned around, there was a walker standing next to Jesus, with a knife stabbed into Jesus' chest. I stabbed the walker through the temple and ran to Jesus' side. I heard familiar voices as tried to stop the bleeding. I looked up quickly and saw Michonne, Magna and Yumiko had come over and were now helping the rest of the group defend against the strange walkers. I looked back down in horror at Jesus. "It's ok, I'm going to help you." I whispered. He looked up at me one last time, before letting out a long breath, and going limp in my arms. "Shit shit shit shit shit shit." I muttered to myself, trying to perform CPR on him, but it was no use. 

"Alana, we have to go!" I heard Michonne cry out. I nodded, and Aaron ran over to help me carry Jesus' body.

"I'm so sorry Aaron. I really am." I whispered, as we ran from the walkers, in the corner of my eye, I saw Daryl and Michonne carrying a walker in their arms, but I ignored it and focused on the matter in my arms. Aaron looked back at me as we jumped a wall and hid in an abandoned building. Everyone piled in and Magna and Yumiko bordered the door shut so that we couldn't be followed. We carefully placed his body down on the floor. "We need to give him a proper burial." I sighed but gasped when he started to reanimate. Aaron put him down again. 

I walked over to the walker that had been carried in. "We brought it in because I think I saw something." Michonne pointed at the walkers. Everyone gathered around. Daryl turned the walker on its stomach and Michonne pointed at the stitches that went from the bottom of its neck to the start of the scalp. 

"What in the hell?" Rosita whispered. Daryl got his knife and cut the stitches, before pulling the walker's skin off, I prepared myself for a skeleton but gasped when I saw a human. He pushed them onto their back again so that we could see their face. It was a woman, she had dark circles around her eyes, nose, and mouth. And she was dirty. Blood dripped from her mouth from when Michonne had stabbed her in the head thinking she was a walker. 

"They are not walkers. They're human." Michonne whispered in shock. 

"What are we going to do?" I asked looking around. 

"We don't have much of a choice by all accounts." Eugene was looking through a gap in the covers, outside onto the street. I stood next to him and saw the 'walkers' gathered around. 

"Aaron, can you carry Jesus by yourself?" I asked, he nodded and picked Jesus' body up in his arms. "We have to run, now." I whispered to everyone, who nodded. 

I grabbed my knife and sword. "Let's do this." 


	87. Capture and Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group makes a run for it, but they are stopped by a young Whisperer. What will they do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a long chapter, so I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 4 (Season 9 Part 2) - Capture and Escape

We ran out of the building, dodging the walkers, I was unsure which were real humans and which were walkers so I tried not to kill any of them. But one of them grabbed my wrist forcing me to drive my knife into their skull. They gasped, but I tried not to think about it as we kept running. We took cover behind a dumpster to catch a breath. 

I knelt down beside Daryl. "Are you ok?" I asked him. 

"Yeah, are you? You're not hurt?" He asked, scanning me for any injuries. In the corner of my eye, I saw movement and realized there was someone creeping behind the dumpster. I gestured to Daryl and he nodded in understanding. We quickly pulled them over the dustbin and I held a knife to their throat. Daryl checked the back of its head and sure enough, there were stitches. 

We held their hands behind their back and the whole group continued to run, Aaron still carrying Jesus's body. 

After what felt like hours of running, we finally lost the herd and were close to home. We stopped for a breather outside Hilltop's gates. When they opened, we all piled in. I watched as Aaron left to the Hilltop's graveyard with Jesus. Daryl and Michonne walked the Whisperer to the cells. Magna and Yumiko went back to their room, and Rosita and Eugene got on a horse to use to ride home. 

I smiled a large smile when Lilly and Beth came running at me. They engulfed me in a huge hug. RJ followed them. "Hey, kiddos. It's ok, we're back now." I laughed. Tara walked up from behind them looking concerned. 

"What went on out there? You were gone for ages." She whispered. I pointed to the kids and she nodded, walking back to the house. I looked back at the children. 

"Hey, so why don't you go and play outside the basement. Michonne and Daryl are in there, and I think they will be out soon. Don't worry, we'll get you all some food soon." They smiled and ran off. I ran after Tara and we met up in the office in the house. She looked saddened as we watched Aaron dig the grave. 

"Jesus is dead, isn't he?" She sighed, I nodded sorrowfully. "He was a great guy. I'll miss him." She whispered. "What went on out there?" She asked, concerned. 

"I'll explain it to you and everyone else at the same time." I took out my walkie talkie and turned it on. "This is Alana. Our group just got back from saving Eugene and Rosita. We ran into trouble on the way. There were people. People that wore walkers skins to blend into herds without getting bitten. They were coming after us, but we managed to escape. We captured one of them and they are being held hostage at Hilltop right now." I explained, watching Tara's facial expressions change as I spoke. 

"Were there any losses?" Carol asked. I sighed before replying. 

"Yeah. Jesus is gone. He's being buried at Hilltop right now. Rosita is being treated for a broken arm at Alexandria with Eugene." I explained. There was no reply. 

After explaining everything that happened to Tara, I walked down the stairs and out of the house, and over to the basement. RJ, Beth, Judith, and Lilly were all playing outside. "Judith? Where did you come from?" I asked, smiling. 

"I was dropped off by Carol and Henry." She replied, before continuing playing. I frowned and looked around, I saw Henry entering a blacksmiths, and Carol was standing next to Aaron, paying her respects at the graveyard. 

Suddenly, the basement door opened with a squeak and Michonne and Daryl walked out. They were almost toppled over by the hugs. I laughed. When the children allowed the adults to fully step out, Daryl smiled. 

"Beth, Lilly. Come with me, how about we go and see Auntie Carol, while Mommy talks to the new person." He looked at me carefully, before picking up his daughters playfully and running over to Carol. I walked down the steps and into the basement, where the cells were. 

A young girl with dark hair, who looked about 15 or 16 years old looked up at me. She had the same dark dirt marks on her face as the other Whisperer had. Her mask rested on the table beside me. I sat down on a nearby chair and looked at her through the bars. 

"Hey. My name's Alana. What's yours?" I asked, calmly, trying not to appear intimidating to her. 

There was a hesitation, but she replied, "Lydia." 

"I would say it's nice to meet you, Lydia, but one of your people killed mine. I can't blame you for that, but, I just want you to know that that wasn't right. "I explained, she looked at me carefully.

"I'm not sure why they sent me down here. I think they want me to find out about your people. But don't worry, you don't have to speak straight away. Are you hungry?" I asked her, she furrowed her brow, and I gestured to a fruit bowl. She nodded and I rolled an apple through the gaps in the cell. She devoured it quicker than I had given it to her. "Wow. They must not have been feeding you very well. So can you tell me who is in charge of your... group, herdy thing.?"I asked, making sure that she knew she was safe and that she wouldn't be harmed. 

"I don't know if I should tell you this. You have to promise you won't tell my people what I said." She sighed. I nodded. 

"I promise. You have my word." I replied. 

"It's my mom. They call her Alpha. She's in charge." I saw something change in her eyes when she said her mother's name. 

"Is everything ok? Is your mom not nice to you?" I asked, worried about her. Suddenly, she got very closed off and turned around to face the wall. 

"Right well, thank you for telling me what you did and don't worry about anything, I promise I won't let anyone hurt you." I whispered, before stepping out of the basement. I walked over to Daryl. 

"I'll tell everyone what I heard. She said it's her mother who is leading their group. They call her Alpha." I explained, and he nodded. He smiled. 

"I didn't think you would get that much information out of her in that way. I'm proud." He smiled, and I laughed. 

"Thanks, I guess. I'm going to go back to Alexandria for a couple of hours to check on things, but I'll be back. Can I leave Beth and Lilly here with you?" I asked. He smiled and nodded towards our children, who were playing happily with Carol in the Hilltops garden area. "I love you. I'll be back soon." I whispered, before quickly leaping onto a horse and cart, that was holding Michonne, Judith, and RJ. 

"Are you guys going back to Alexandria?" I asked. They nodded. 

"Mind if I join you?" I asked. Judith nodded and I smiled, sitting down properly next to them.

We arrived at Alexandria, and I hopped off the carriage, before quickly walking over into the infirmary. Siddiq was bandaging up Rosita's arm. They hadn't noticed I had come in but looked up in shock when I did. 

"Hey, I'm just checking we have all the supplies before I head back to Hilltop. You can continue." I smiled, before walking into the back room. I was the only one that ever went in there, so no one else knew that the walls were incredibly thin. As I rummaged through various boxes, I heard their hushed voices. 

"Siddiq, I'm pregnant. And it's your baby, not Gabriel's." I heard Rosita whisper. There were a few minutes that went by before there was the next voice. 

"I want to do all of the checkups, and all of the appointments. Ok?" Siddiq replied. I smiled and sighed. But suddenly, Michonne came running into the infirmary and into the back room where I was. I quickly stood away from the wall so that it didn't look like I was listening. 

"Negan has escaped."


	88. It's Mutual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Whisperer's come back to take what belongs to them.

Chapter 5 (Season 9 Part 2) - It's Mutual

I gasped. "Negan escaped?!" I was speechless. 

"Yep. Gabriel must have forgotten to lock the cell." Michonne cursed Gabriel, but I raised my hand. 

"Don't blame Gabriel. He was given the task of looking after a huge community and he wasn't given much notice. Plus, it's not as if Negan is going to last that long out there by himself, without any food, or water. He will have to come back, and maybe it was time for him to get out of that cell anyway. I feel a storm coming to our communities, Michonne." I explained. 

"I feel it too. It's the Whisperers." She agreed. Just as she said this, my walkie talkie turned on. 

"Alana, get here right now." It was Tara's voice. She sounded a mixture of confused and worried. I ran out of the infirmary without a second thought and climbed onto a horse. I galloped down the road quickly and up to the gates. They opened, and I jumped off the horse quickly. I ran over to Tara, who was eating an apple at a table while laughing with Beth. 

"Is everything ok? You sounded urgent." I gasped, looking around for any immediate danger. 

"Oh yeah, I did it because this one told me to. She wanted your attention." Tara sighed, nodding at Beth. I sighed too and knelt down in front of Beth, her big blue eyes stared back at me, happily and innocently. 

"Beth... you know you aren't supposed to do things like that. But I forgive you. Where's Daddy and Lilly?" I asked her, looking around while tying her hair in a plait so that it doesn't get grabbed by any unexpected walkers. She pointed over to the basement. "What? Lilly is in the basement with Daddy?" I gasped. 

"Yep. They just went in. I don't think Lilly was meant to follow Daddy though." Beth explained. I nodded in shock and sprinted into the basement, I stopped to a halt when I heard Daryl explaining something to Lydia. 

"He used to use a whip. He would bring it down on my back every time I did something wrong. Like if I spilled paint in the garden. Or even if my brother Merle did. See, I know what you mean." I sighed, trying not to think about the pain that Daryl had gone through when he was younger, and I stepped into the room. I gasped when I saw Lilly playing with something in the corner of the room. I ran over to her and picked her up in my arms, she smiled at me innocently. 

"Daryl. What was she doing down here?" I asked, trying not to get angry. 

"She wasn't doing anyone any harm, it's ok, I made sure that she was safe, don't worry." Daryl sighed, walking over to me. I looked over at Lydia, who was watching us. 

"Hi again!" I smiled at her, and she gave a weak smile. I turned to Daryl again. "Do we really need to keep her behind bars, it's not like she's going to murder parents of a 5-year-old and 7 year old?" I laughed but stopped when I saw both of their facial expressions. The awkwardness was cut short, thankfully, when there were shouts from up above. I held Lilly tight in my arms and ran up the stairs to see what was going on. 

There were multiple people gathered looking over the wall. Daryl and I ran up the steps, and I picked up Beth in my arms too. I followed Daryl and put down my daughters so that I could aim my gun at anything. In the corner of my eye, I saw Beth put a protective arm around Lilly's shoulder, I smiled. But the smile disappeared when I saw them

The massive hoard of Whisperers walked out of the woods, ominously. Daryl shot an arrow at one of their feet, causing the entire hoard to stop advancing. One of them walked forwards, and she took off her mask. There was a woman, she was bald and had bright blue eyes. "I am Alpha. We mean no harm. I just want my daughter back." 

"If you don't give her back. Then there will be death." 


	89. Come to an Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alpha and her Whisperers demand Lydia back, but for what in return?

Chapter 6 (Season 9 Part 2) - Come to an Agreement

Alpha stared up at us, waiting for a response. We hesitated, and I looked over at Tara. Daryl didn't seem comfortable with handing Lydia back over to her mother, and I understood that. I was all for letting her stay, right up until Alpha brought in her hostages. 

There was Magna, and Luke (from the group that Judith and Beth brought with them) and a couple of Hilltop workers. Yumiko, Connie, and Kelly gasped next to me. I held Daryl's hand, behind the cover of the wall. I turned to Tara, who was looking concerned. But she had made her mind up. "We need to give Lydia back over. I'm sorry Daryl and Henry, but we need our people back. Our people. She is not ours, she belongs to them." Tara explained, before gesturing for someone to go and handover Lydia. Daryl let out an exasperated sigh before going off to get Lydia. 

He returned, and I watched, holding onto my sword and gun in case anything happened to him. Except, the exchange went smoothly. Daryl handed over Lydia to her mother, ignoring the shouts from Henry. And Magna, Luke, and the 2 workers walked safely back inside the walls of Hilltop. Yumiko ran over to them and hugged Luke and Magna. 

I looked back over the wall and watched Daryl walk back. The Whisperers disappeared into the woods before anyone could say anything else. I turned around and made sure that Lilly and Beth were ok. They were talking to each other happily. I picked them up and helped them down from the wall so that we could greet Daryl. He didn't seem happy about what had just happened. "Daryl, I'm so sorry. I know that it must have been difficult for you." I whispered to him, while Beth and Lilly smothered him in hugs. He gave a weak smile. 

"It's ok, it's not your fault. I'm going to make sure everything is ok here, before heading back with the girls to Alexandria. Do you want to come?" He asked, and I nodded. "Ok, let's meet here in 15 minutes." He replied, before walking off with Beth and Lilly. I grabbed my bag and weapons and leaned against a wall. I noticed Carol trying to calm Henry down, just like she had done when the infected had turned in the infirmary. I watched as he stormed off leaving Carol alone. I walked over to her. 

"Hey, Carol. Is everything ok?" I asked her, looking over at Henry. Carol now had long white hair, that reached all the way down to her waist, showing just how far she had come from Ed. 

"Yes, it's just I think that Henry fancied Lydia a lot, and now she's gone. It's ok, I've brought him up, I can teach him to let things go." She sighed, before walking towards Henry. 

My walkie talkie turned on and held it close to my ear. "This is Ezekiel. The Kingdom is planning a fair. To bring all of the communities together. We are finding a projector bulb so that we can play a movie in a nearby theatre. This is going out to all of the communities. So just make sure you have always got your walkie talkie on you if you want to come, I know that a lot of the children won't have ever been to the cinema before." Ezekiel sounded happy. I laughed at this idea and sighed before tucking my walkie talkie back in my pocket. 

Daryl met up with me, but he looked urgent. "Alana, I'm sorry, we can't leave yet. Henry has left to go after Lydia, and we have to find him. Do you want to come with me to help me find him or stay here to look after Beth and Lilly?" He asked me. 

"What about Carol?" I asked, looking around. 

"She doesn't know he's gone yet." He replied. I nodded. 

"I'll stay here, with the kids, but I'll make sure that Carol is ok too. Are you taking anyone else with you?" I asked him. He pointed to Connie, who waved at me. I waved back. "Ok, be safe." I kissed him on the cheek before watching them leave Hilltop in a hurry. 


	90. Come Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Daryl and Connie are out searching for Henry, Alana and Michonne go after Negan.

Chapter 7 (Season 9 Part 2) - Come Back

Carol came running up to me, not long after Daryl and Connie had left. "Have you seen Henry? I've been looking everywhere for him. We were just about to leave back to the Kingdom. Ezekiel was excited to see him again." She stressed and I put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. 

"It's ok, maybe he already went back to the Kingdom without you, I think it's best if you check at least anyway." I suggested, and she nodded. I watched as she climbed onto a horse and rode away from Hilltop towards the Kingdom. I didn't like lying. Especially to family. It gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. 

"This is Michonne, Alana. I have located Negan so please meet me at Alexandria." Michonne's voice came from my pocket. 

"Alright, I'll be there in 10 minutes." I sighed. I ran over to Beth and Lilly. "Hey guys, we are going back home to Alexandria now. Come on, let's go." I helped them up onto a horse and cart and loaded our bags in before hurrying out of Hilltop before Carol came back looking for Henry again. 

We made it back to Alexandria in under ten minutes and Michonne helped us unload our things off the cart. Beth and Lilly ran off to play with Gracie, Judith, and RJ. 

"Alana, you're early. Maybe just hang around for a while, until I'm ready to leave for Negan." She explained, and I nodded. I wandered over to Aaron and Enid who were sitting on a wall watching the children play. 

"Hey." I smiled, sitting down next to them. 

"Hey, Alana. I heard that you and Michonne are going to get Negan. Where are you gonna put him, if he comes back?" Enid asked she was looking particularly grown-up these days.

"I'm not sure. To be honest, I don't think he will come back. But we have to try at least." I sighed.

"Who would want to go back to living in a cell for years?" Aaron laughed. 

"That is true." I sighed, Michonne signaled that she was ready and I hopped off the wall. "Oh one last thing, can you guys watch over all of them while we're gone. It would be a great help." Aaron and Enid nodded and I smiled at them before running over to Michonne. 

We climbed onto two separate horses and we rode out together. I followed Michonne to the Sanctuary. It had been abandoned a couple of years ago because we had allowed the few remaining Saviors to live with us, rather than outcasts. The garden was overgrown, but there were no walkers around. 

We got off the horses and I looked around. "He's around here?" I asked. And she nodded pointing up to a room above the greenhouse. It looked covered in leaves and bushes, and it had grass growing all over it, covering the windows. I nodded and we reached for our swords just in case. 

Michonne kicked the door open and we walked in. Negan was leaning against a wall in the corner of the room. He laughed to himself. "I wondered how long it would be until you found me. Well done." He smiled. 

"Negan, you need to come back." Michonne sighed. 

"No. I don't want to be labeled as a killer anymore. And if I'm in that cell, that's the only thing that I will be called. I can hear what people say. I can't go back." He sounded resigned. 

"Negan, look, maybe if you came back, you could start working for your forgiveness. You know, like helping out in the gardens and all of that. Then maybe one day, you can be with us, and go out on runs and help out with herds." I explained. 

"I just want time. Ok? I'm not saying I won't come back, but I need time to think. I'm honestly surprised you haven't ripped my guts out for escaping." He laughed, looking over at Michonne. 

"Michonne, he's not coming back, he'll come back when he's ready for forgiveness. Let's go." I sighed, we walked out of the Sanctuary and down the steps. 

"Don't worry, Michonne, he'll return." 


	91. Short-Lived

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kingdom holds their fair, while Daryl and Connie are still out looking for Henry and Lydia. They get the movie theater up and running, but there is a new guest, that attends the showing.

Chapter 8 (Season 9 Part 2) - Short-Lived

Michonne and I arrived back at Alexandria but as soon as I had stepped foot inside my walkie talkie turned on. "Ezekiel here. We are almost finished with the fair, which will be today, so if anyone could come and help that would be great!" He sounded very happy, and I laughed to myself. 

"Beth! Lilly!" I shouted, and they came running up to me, bouncing around. "You are about to go to your first ever fair!" 

\---

We arrived at Kingdom, 15 minutes later, and it looked amazing. There was colored bunting with all of the logos for each community, and there were mini shops for people to get clothes or flowers and more. I smiled at my daughters shocked and wondered faces as they took it all in. Lilly squealed excitedly when Shiva came bounding towards us. Beth wasn't fond of the tiger, but Lilly was more like me and she loved all animals. Beth preferred things with smaller animals, like rabbits and squirrels. 

Ezekiel wasn't far behind Shiva either. He always seemed like he was being careful to hide something around me, but I tried to ignore it. 

"Thank you for coming, it means a lot. Have you heard anything about Henry?" He asked. 

"No, I'm sorry Ezekiel, but if I do, you and Carol will be the first to know." I replied he nodded gratefully. I turned around to watch as Aaron and Enid arrived with Gracie, RJ, and Judith, and Michonne wasn't far behind either. 

After a couple of hours, it started to get dark and everyone at the fair walked to the theater. I carried Lilly in my arms because it was a long walk, but Beth insisted that she was fine. They were both excited and it always shocked me to know that they had never seen a movie before. As everyone queued to get inside, they looked up at me. "Mommy? Have you ever seen a movie?" Beth asked. I laughed. 

"Of course! Well, it was different before you were both born. There was a time without walkers, when everyone was happy, well, not everyone. But I didn't have a home for a lot of the time when I was younger. But when I did, I usually went to the theater or the cinema to watch a movie at least once a week. It's amazing, and I think that you will both enjoy it a lot!" They smiled at me as I explained. We were let in and we took our seats. 

The lights turned off and the screen turned on, playing an old cartoon from what felt like ages ago. It filled me with so much happiness, seeing Beth and Lilly's face light up as they watched what could have been their childhood. What should have been. 

I tried to push away the sadness that surrounded the moment, but it was hard. I wanted Daryl to be there with us. Seeing their faces and hearing their laugh. And Maggie, with Hershel. Hershel and Beth would have been the best of friends. And Rick. If Rick was there, everything would have felt complete, but it didn't. I sighed and looked around the dark theater. 

I noticed a woman in the back row, that I had never seen before. She must just be a new member of Hilltop, I thought to myself and turned back around. 

Or was she? 


	92. Snowy Hills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The communities face the consequences of a group's actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the penultimate chapter of the season! I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 9 (Season 9 Part 2) - Snowy Hills

After the film had finished, everyone filed out of the theater and back into the Kingdoms fair. I let Beth and Lilly look around but I made sure that they stuck together and that they only stayed in areas where I could see them. 

I watched the entry of the Kingdoms gates carefully awaiting Daryl's arrival until finally, he came. He appeared, with cuts on his face, Connie followed with Henry. I ran over to them and hugged Daryl tightly. Then I held his head in my hands so that I could look at the damage that had been done. "Who did this?" I felt anger rising in me towards anyone that had layed a finger on Daryl. 

"There was a huge man called Beta, he is a Whisperer and Alpha's, right-hand man. I got in a fight, but I won. I'm fine. We managed to get Henry back, but not without getting someone else first." He sighed, stepping aside so that I could see Henry standing with Lydia. I gasped. 

"But, if Lydia is here, then the Whisperers are going to come for us. For all of us. We need to prepare for a fight." I explained, but Lydia looked confused. 

"Wait, you aren't just going to hand me straight back over? Even if it dangers your community?" She gasped. 

"Lydia, you're a child. And our communities have already been through a lot, we can handle another war, don't worry. Just make sure you don't anger anyone, there will be people who think differently to me." I sighed. 

I stitched up Daryl, and Beth and Lilly came bounding over excitedly. "Daddy! You should have seen it! The movie we watched at the theater. It. Was. Amazing!" Beth shouted, and we laughed. He looked over at me with a sad smile. 

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." He whispered. He put an arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder as we watched the children play with the other children. 

"It's ok, Dixon. You were protecting people, I understand." I replied. 

Suddenly, Michonne, Ezekiel, Cyndi, and Tara stood up on a stage. "Hello everyone and thank you for turning up. We all just wanted to tell you not to worry about the Whisperer situation. All of our communities will unite, to be stronger than ever against them. You have all of our words." Ezekiel shouted. I smiled. But I knew that Daryl was not smiling. 

\---

A couple of days later, a group went out on a run, to replenish the supplies after the fair. The group was made up of Daryl, Carol, Siddiq, Michonne, and I. Siddiq had wanted to finally leave the infirmary for once, and had ended up going missing for a couple of hours. We found him in a barn, traumatized by something and his leg was completely broken. We had tried to ask him what had happened but he never replied. 

"We should take a shortcut up the hill and towards the Kingdom. We can get to their infirmary faster." I suggested. Michonne was helping Siddiq walk, everyone agreed and we made our way up the hill. It was starting to get cold, very quickly. So we would have to prepare our crops for that if we wanted to make it through the winter. 

I was ahead of everyone because I had been through this route many times. But I stopped dead in my tracks when I made it to the top of the hill. I couldn't speak. There were heads pushed onto spikes. They were now walkers, biting at the air around them. I looked closer and recognized them as Ozzy, Alek, DJ, Frankie, Tammy-Rose, Rodney, Addy, Enid, Tara, and Henry. Ozzy, Alek, Rodney, Tammy-Rose, Addy, and Frankie were all either Hilltop workers or Saviors. But I recognized Enid, Tara, and Henry. Daryl ran up behind me when he had realized that there was something wrong. I heard the intake of breath when he saw what was before him. 

I ran over to Carol quickly, just as she saw Henry. She collapsed to the floor in sobs. I held her in my arms. "No, Henry. No!" She shrieked. I stroked her hair, wiping away my own tears. I had known Tara since the fall of the prison. And Enid was so close with Carl that she felt like family too. And I couldn't even begin to think of what Carol was going through, she had lost so many of her own children. 

"This was the Whisperer's fault." I told Daryl and Michonne. They nodded. Just as I said this, a single snowflake fell on my hand, leaving a small droplet of ice-cold water. 

A storm was coming, and this was only the start.


	93. Snow Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The snow hits as the devastation begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the finale of Season 9! I will be starting Season 10 in the next couple of days. I hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> PS: This one will be a long one.

Chapter 10 (Season 9 Part 2) - Snow Storm

It had been a week since we had found the heads on the hill. They had removed but the spikes stayed as a morbid reminder of the border into the Whisperers land. No one dared to cross it anymore. 

I was at Alexandria with Daryl, Beth, and Lilly. Everyone was still mourning, and I was helping the children understand what had happened. Daryl and I hadn't fully explained how they had died, only that they were no longer with us anymore. 

Beth, Lilly, RJ, and Judith were coloring at the kitchen table, peacefully, so I got up and stepped outside. It was still snowing, but I felt that every day it got colder and colder. Daryl came up behind me, holding the yellow walkman. We put the earphones in our ears and listened to song after song as the snow fell around the house. There was no movement outside, as everyone was staying indoors and mourning. 

We finally turned the yellow walkman off when my walkie talkie turned itself on. "Doesn't this thing ever run out of batteries?" I sighed. 

"We need help! The Kingdom has fallen! I repeat it has fallen. Walkers invaded while we were all resting and there was fire. Its crumbling as I speak. We need help. Please come." Ezekiel's voice was shaky. I saw doors everywhere swing open as people prepared to go and help the Kingdom and see what was happening. I grabbed my bag and my weapons. I spoke directly to Judith, as she was the oldest by two years. 

"Judith, you are the oldest. Your Mom, Daryl and I are going out to help with the Kingdom, and I need you to look after your brother and cousins. Can you do that for me?" I asked her. 

"We should all come. It won't be that hard." Judith suggested. "Plus it will give us some training." She gestured to herself and Beth. I hesitated and looked over at Daryl who nodded while smiling. 

"Fine. But stay close." I replied. Beth and Judith got up from the table and I locked the doors making sure that Lilly and RJ were safe. 

Michonne waited for us at the gate. She sighed when she saw that Judith was joining us and ruffled her hair. Michonne, Rosita, Eugene, Gabriel, Daryl, and Aaron, Beth and Judith were all eagerly waiting to leave. I brought horses round and made sure that they had their coats on and were warm against the cold. The car engines were too cold to start. We attached carts to help carry things and rushed towards Kingdom. 

We arrived and I saw it all on fire. The Kingdommers were all huddled together for warmth in a large group. I got off the horse and hugged Carol. "Everyone put your things on the cart. I will one cart to Hilltop, and Aaron can take another back to Alexandria. Make sure you know which one is which. Then Daryl, Gabriel, Eugene, Rosita, Alana, and Daryl will lead you all home. Do not worry." Michonne explained to everyone. 

Everyone piled their things onto carts and watched as Aaron and Michonne went two separate ways on the horses. Leaving us to walk. Shiva walked next to me, and I had made sure to bring an extra coat for her. I put around her and stroked her head. We started to the long walk home. 

Just as we started walking. Winds hit. Cold winds, blowing snow everywhere. It was starting to get dangerous. But it wasn't bad enough yet. I walked next to Daryl, but I noticed that Carol and Ezekiel were walking far apart. I walked up next to Carol. "Is everything alright between you and Ezekiel?" I asked. She looked at the ground and shook her head. I put an arm around her shoulder. "What's wrong?" I asked. 

"We didn't cope with Henry well enough together. We didn't look out for each other. We're divorced." She sighed. My eyes widened. 

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! You will always have a place at Daryl and I's house whenever you need a room." I told her, and she nodded appreciatively. We continued to walk, shivering in the cold. 

Suddenly, forceful winds knocked people off their feet. And it was so cold I thought that my fingers and toes would fall off. "We need to get under cover now!" I screamed as a tree fell onto the road in front of us. I gasped when I realized the only way was through the Whisperer's woods. "Shit." I whispered. Everyone started running, even Shiva. 

We sped through the woods, hoping to god that no one would notice what we were doing. I kept half of my attention on where Daryl was and I knew that he was doing the same to me. Finally, we made out of the trees, but it was even worse. Branches were flying everywhere, and I couldn't see anything, apart from white and snowflakes flying around in a dangerous dance. I held onto Daryl's hand, even though I couldn't see him, it made me feel safer. He squeezed my hand as everyone pushed against the winds. I made sure that Beth and Judith were holding onto my hands so that they wouldn't get blown away. 

The walkers weren't a problem as they were frozen to the spot. We needed to keep moving if we didn't want to end up like them. 

After what felt like an eternity, we finally reached Alexandria. Everyone undercover as a shed's roof blew off into the wind. I gasped when I saw Negan standing under the shelter too. "What are you doing here?" I asked. 

"I decided to come back." He replied. 

"Great timing." I sighed. Michonne ran over to me looking nervous. 

"Do you have Judith and Beth?" She asked me. I looked around, thinking they were still with me and gasped loudly when I saw that they weren't. "I heard Judith and Beth talking about a dog in the storm. I think they went after it." Michonne explained urgently. 

"Shit. We need to find them!" I stressed. Daryl, Michonne, Negan, and I stepped out of the shelter and back into the snow. The cold bit at us painfully. 

"We need to split up." I suggested. They nodded and we all disappeared in different directions. I couldn't see anything, but I focused on finding Judith and Beth. "Beth! Judith! Where are you!" I shouted until my voice went hoarse. I couldn't feel my limbs anymore. And if I could then it was painful. Suddenly I heard my walkie talkie turn on in the wind. 

"This is Negan. I stole a walkie talkie, don't punish me. I have the kids, and now a dog. We are sheltering from the storm in a cabin that has a fire. You should all get back to Alexandria." He shouted, knowing that it would be hard to hear of the winds. 

"You son of a bitch!" I laughed in the speaker, seeing my breath before me because of the temperature.

"Shhh! There are children around." He replied, and his line cut out. 

I turned around and walked, but started to get nervous when I didn't reach anything for a while. I finally came to the realization of what had happened.

I was lost. 

I looked around, but I could only see white. I couldn't even see my gloved hand when I lifted it in front of my face. "Alana? Where are you? We are all back at Alexandria now. Why aren't you here, is everything ok?" I heard Daryl's concerned voice. 

"Hey, Daryl. Don't get mad, but I'm lost. I can't see anything and it feels like I'm going to freeze to death. I love you but- "I was cut off when the ground beneath disappeared and I went tumbling through empty air. "Shiiiit!" I screamed, holding my walkie talkie tightly in my hand. I must have walked off a cliff in the cold. I hit something before I had time to piece thoughts together. 

I hit a hard surface, but it dissolved into freezing liquid. A frozen lake. I let out a shriek before the pain of every bone in my body caused me to pass out. 

I could hear the faint sound of Daryl's voice, as it sank deeper and deeper with me.

"Alana? Alana? What's wrong? Shit. We're coming for you, don't worry." 


	94. Sinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana is close to death, but will they meet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, its the start of season 10! This is the season where I start to divert a lot away from the television series because currently season 10 is not finished due to Covid-19, I'm also planning how to end the series off as well. So yeah, this season is slightly different than the television shows season 10. I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 10 Part 1) - Sinking

The numbing water swallowed me like a whale swallowing a fish. The air was completely gone from my lungs and I felt myself slowly slipping away. I tried to grip onto my walkie talkie as hard as I could, but I couldn't move. It must have been the fall. What if I was paralyzed? What if there were walkers in the lake? What if no one found me? Thoughts raced through my mind, making me sink deeper and deeper. 

I couldn't see anything, it was all dark so I didn't know if my eyes were closed or not. I slipped away faster and faster, I must have been metres and metres down the lake. How deep was it? I didn't know, but I knew that I was very close to passing out. Just as I thought I was going to die, something grabbed onto my hand and pulled me up and up. My ears popped from the pressure changed, giving me an awful headache. 

The figure pushed me onto the cold ground and pressed down on my chest, causing me to splutter out water. After I had cleared my lungs, I gasped for as much air as I could. Then the cold started to set in. It was paralyzing, I couldn't move. I shivered uncontrollably, but the figure that pulled me out of the lake but a few blankets over me and started a fire. I felt the heat start to warm me up, my shivering stopped and I could start to move my neck. The person leaned me up against the wall so that I could see.

I noticed how the storm had stopped. Finally,I felt everything again, but it wasn't a great feeling. I looked down and saw an icicle sticking out of my right arm. It had gone right through the arm and out the other side. The pain started to go through me, and I felt a new pain in my spine, it must have been from when I hit the ice on the fall down. 

I tried to get up but it hurt too much and the figure pushed me back down. "You need to rest." It was a female voice. It sounded familiar, but it gave me a sense of nostalgia rather than warmth. 

"Who... who are you?" I stuttered, curling the blankets around me tightly. I pulled my weapons and bag closer to me in case they tried to steal from me. I made sure the walkie talkie was safe and I put it in my bag. The woman laughed, it was a laugh that I knew was supposed to make me smile, but it felt like a lifetime ago since I had heard it. 

"You don't recognize my voice? Well you could never remember what you had for dinner most of the time so who am I kidding?" They laughed, and pulled down their hood, revealing a girl, about my age. About 30 or 31. She had curly black hair and dark skin, but she had a bright green eye, and a scar that went through the other, the eye with the scar looked a lot like Gabriel's eye. 

I gasped when I remembered. "Lilly." I whispered. She had been my best friend since I had first got off the streets. I had called her outside of Atlanta, but the call cut off when the army dropped bombs on Atlanta. "I thought you were dead." I whispered. She laughed. 

"Well, I thought you were too, but I guess we were both wrong. Now let's fix your leg."


	95. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana reunites with an old friend, but should they trust each other?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to add in the last chapter, this part of season 10 will have 8 chapters altogether. :)

Chapter 2 (Season 10 Part 1) - Old Friends

I was shocked. She gestured to the wooden ring on my finger. "You're married?" She asked. I nodded. "What? You can't speak anymore?" She laughed. 

"I'm just shocked, Lilly! It's been like almost 10 years since we have seen each other!" I stressed. 

"So who are you married to?" She asked. I sighed and smiled. 

"Do you remember me telling you about a guy called Daryl Dixon? He had a brother that you knew, Merle." I explained, she looked shocked at first. 

"Holy shit! You actually married him. Well done, you literally never stopped talking about him." She laughed, but suddenly she went serious. "Kids?" She asked. I smiled and nodded. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh my god, tell me more!" She exclaimed I laughed.

"I have two daughters. Beth who is 7, and Lilly who is 5." I smiled. "And yes, before you say anything, I named her after you." I laughed. She brought me in for a painful hug, when we broke apart I pointed to my arm which still had an icicle in it. But it was still slightly numb so it wasn't overly painful. 

"Ok, you need to fill me in." She sighed. I then proceeded to explain my life right up until that point. Once I had finished, she was shocked. "Wow. I was going to say I had it tough, but wow, you have lost a lot." She said saddened. "Ok, now my turn. I made it out of Atlanta in my car. I met up with a guy called David. He worked as a boat captain, but he wasn't like old. He was probably about the same age as me. We comforted each other, and well one thing led to another and we started to travel the world. He took me everywhere on his boat. We killed so many of those monsters and I think we went all around the world. Oh, and by the way, the entire world is a shitshow, but anyway, we made it back to California. As soon as we arrived, he got shot right in the head. I was devastated. I was close to the end when someone found me. He taught me to be calm and to let go. We built a community together. It's nice, you'd like it." She explained. I sighed and brought her in for another hug. 

"I missed you so much," I whispered, and she laughed. Suddenly I realized something. "Wait, Lilly, where am I? I got lost in a snowstorm, then I fell and I think I moved down a river of some sort." I gasped. She frowned. 

"We are on the edge of Virginia, don't worry." She smiled. I looked at my arm. 

"I need to get home. You could come!" I suggested. She looked at my arm and rummaged around my bag pulling out a first aid kit. "Lilly, you aren't trained that well in first aid, I'm not sure what you- SHIT!" She pulled the icicle right out of my arm, almost knocking me out. 

"Are you kidding me? Now it's just going to be awkward." She looked at me and then brought her fist down firmly onto my head, knocking me out.


	96. Welcome to Texas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana wakes up in an unknown place, but will she be able to get home?

Chapter 3 (Season 10 Part 1) - Welcome to Texas

It was strange. I woke up over and over again, and every time I woke up, an unfamiliar man would inject me with something and I would go back unconscious. It felt endless, at least 4 months had gone by. Everytime I woke up, I tried to get faster and faster at getting up and out of wherever I was, until finally I woke up and no one came to put me down. 

I sat up in the bed that I was in. I looked around and realized I was in a hospital bed with injections attached and taps sticking out of me. There was an IV, and some liquid food in a nearby open cabinet. It looked different, I didn't know where I was and it frightened me a lot. I wasn't thinking clearly enough and I ripped the injections out of me. I saw that my arm had been bandaged up and there was no longer an icicle sticking out of it. But there was not sign of my bag or weapons. I was now in a different outfit. It looked like a prisoners outfit and it was all orange and had a number printed on the front. 

I looked in a nearby mirror and gasped. They had cut my hair so that it was now shoulder length. I stood up, wobbling slightly, I checked my prosthetic to make sure nothing had happened and that it was still safe to walk on. It was. I opened the door to the room and my eyes widened. The sign on the wall read 'Welcome to Camp David, in Texas!' I stopped in my tracks. 

"Oh hey! You're awake! It's good to see you!" Lilly came waking towards me, and I was ready to punch her in the face, but my arms were pulled behind me. I turned my head around and saw a stern faced man, that looked like a body guard. I turned around to look Lilly in the eye. 

"Why am I here?" I hissed at her. 

"That's no way to say hello! Welcome to my camp. I didn't explain what it was like to you, because I knew you wouldn't approve. Come over here." She walked over to a window and the man pushed me over violently. I gasped, I saw about 100 people all wearing the same orange outfit, they were all working in a large garden, whenever they took a second long break they were whipped by a guard. The sun was beating down on them but they weren't allowed to wear anything different. I turned to Lilly who was smiling down at the workers. 

"This world has changed you Lilly. And not for the better." I told her, angrily. There was a flicker of emotion on her face but she went back to looking at me happily. "This isn't you, Lilly." I whispered, but she nodded to the guard that was holding my hands behind my back and he threw me to the ground and kicked my stomach painfully. I let out a cry, and Lilly helped me to my feet. She nodded to the guard again and I flinched but instead the man took me outside and threw me into an empty patch of soil. 

"Work." He said monotonously. "After 8 hours, you get 1 hour in your dorm. You get a break for another 2 hours. Be grateful." He ordered. I went to complain but he picked up his whip and I turned around and grabbed a packet of the seeds, annoyed, I started to plant them in the soil. 

\---

After hours on end of planting seeds constantly, the guard pulled me to my feet. "Go that way." He pointed to a tunnel that had a sign that read 'Dorms' on it. I frowned and ran into the tunnel. I reappeared on the other end, and saw a horrible looking unstable building that had many windows and numbers written on it. There was a table and a woman in orange again behind it. I walked up to her. 

"Name?" She asked, in a scared voice. I looked at the guard behind her, who was looking back at me sinisterly. 

"Alana Dixon." I replied. She looked through a list and gave me a key with a number that read '906'. I took it and walked up some stairs to a room. I stopped when I saw someone, they were walking away from me quickly. But I'm not sure if they were walking away from me on purpose. I walked past my room and followed them down another dark and mouldy corridor. They dropped their key so I went to pick it up, it read '905'. The room next to mine. I took it back to my corridor and quickly stepped inside their room, to see if they had guards in there too. There were no guards. But it was a real mess. 

I looked around, and saw there was a locked cabinet with someones supplies in. There was a familiar gun and a picture, next to the cabinet there was a sign that said ,'To remind of things you'll never have again.' I sighed. "Oh, Lilly, who are you?" I whispered to myself. I gasped when someone else replied. 

"You know her?" The voice almost made me collapse to the ground in emotion. I looked up and sure enough, Rick was standing there in orange, he had a scar on his throat and he had curly hair and a large beard. He looked even worse than when we had fled from Terminus. 

"Rick?"


	97. You've Changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The newly reunited friends make a plan to escape and get back home.

Chapter 4 (Season 10 Part 1) - You've Changed

I froze to the spot. "How- how long have you been here?" I stuttered. We both had tears falling down our faces continuously. 

I hugged him and he hugged me back. "3 years." He whispered. 

"What happened in the other 3 years?" I asked. 

"I was taken by Jadis in a helicopter. She took me to this army base, to use as a test for the cure against walkers. I managed to escape after 2 years and I was on the run across America for a year. Lilly found me. I've tried to escape, but I heard that Lilly was going to Virginia this year, to find a new worker, and I stayed to help you." He explained. I hugged him again. "What has happened back there?" He asked, stuttering slightly from the sobs. 

"So much. I gave birth to another daughter. And, Michonne gave birth to your child. A boy. He's called RJ. Rick Junior. And Judith. You won't believe it, she looks so like you." I continued to explain everything that had happened in the past 6 years and by the time he was completely filled in, we were both crying still. 

"Rick, it's so good to see you." I told him, and he nodded. "We need to get back to the communities, to help fight against the Whisperers." I explained and he nodded, he walked over to a drawer and pulled a map. 

"This is the map of the camp. There are guards on all of the perimeter. But we need to stop Lilly from recruiting any more workers. We can use the workers that have nowhere to go to take home on the helicopters. There are some that are trained pilots. We can take them back to Virginia." Rick explained, but he was cut off by a loud bell. "I've got to get back to work. You have another hour. Figure something out, I can't another shift." He smiled at me one last time before exiting the room. 

Before I started planning, I quickly walked into my own room and gasped when I saw my things in a glass cabinet. I looked inside the cabinet and saw an alarm attached to the inside, so I couldn't break the glass. I followed the wire through the wall, and it ended at the light switch. I found a pen and lifted it as hard as I could but it was no use. I looked around the room for something else. There was a smaller framed box hanging on the wall with a sharp rock in it. I ran over to it and looked at the sign. 'This is the rock we will use to bash your skull in if you try to escape.' I rolled my eyes and checked for an alarm on the inside. There was none, but I made sure there were no other hidden alarms. I saw it, the alarm was on the back of the rock. "Clever." I whispered. 

"Screw it." I whispered to myself. I punched the glass, causing the shards to make my wrist bleed. The alarm went on for a millisecond but I pulled it out of the wall before it had time to ring more. I knew that someone probably saw it, so I grabbed the rock and bashed the light switch in, causing the alarm to break in the other glass cabinet. I broke the glass with the rock and flinched in case there was an alarm, but there was none. I smashed it just in case. 

I quickly grabbed my stuff out of the cabinet. I changed into my old normal clothes. I put my bag on over my shoulder and slung my weapons. I took my sword and gun out of their holsters and ran quickly into Rick's room. I proceeded to do the same thing I did in my room to his room so that all of his supplies were in his own bag. 

I grabbed the map and studied it carefully. As I was reading a guard ran into the room and looked at me. Quickly, I stood up to my feet and didn't even think about my following action. I drove the sword into his skull, causing him to fall to the ground. 

I searched his body and sure enough, there was a bunch of keys in his pocket. I took them out and looked at the map. There were the door controls that needed a key to turn off. I breathed in slowly in through my nose and out through my mouth. 

I thought of what would be waiting for me when I got back to Virginia. Beth, Lilly. Daryl. My family. I breathed again and ran out of the room, staying in the shadows so that the cameras couldn't find me. Suddenly a worker stopped in their tracks when they saw me. I put a finger to my mouth to indicate that I needed them to not tell. They nodded and pretended as if they had never seen me. I smiled to myself and quickly ran through the tunnel, gripping my sword in one hand and the keys in the other. 

I ran to the door control as fast as I could and picked a random key. After a couple of tries, I finally got the right key, but just as I put the key in, guards started to notice me. Just as one started to run to me, I saw Rick kick them to the floor. I smiled at him and threw him his bag. He took out his gun and knife and protected me while I opened the doors. They opened with a jolt and I watched as people ran. I gasped when the guards brought out weapons and began to shoot at some of the workers. I nodded at Rick and I ran up the steps and into the main control room. Lilly was in there with a couple of other guards. I took out the guards quickly, before turning all the lights off in the entire farm. Giving the workers time to go and get their weapons. When I turned them back on, Lilly was aiming a gun at me, and I watched in the corner of my eye as Rick helped the workers kill all the guards. I watched him talking to them. 

But I turned back to Lilly. "Lilly, don't do this." I whispered. "Did you really think you could keep Rick Grimes here without him escaping?" I gave her a sad smile as she looked at me terrified. I heard Rick run into the room and he aimed his gun at Lilly. "Rick, it's ok, I've got this. Do we have any pilots?" I asked him. 

"Yeah, we've got 50 workers, and about 10 of them are pilots." He explained, I nodded. 

"How could you do this to me, Alana?" Lilly asked me. 

"No. You don't ask me that. You are the one that kept people as workers against their will. There are other ways of surviving you know!" I stressed, but she ignore me. Instead, she ran at me with her gun, causing me to drive my sword into her chest. She fell to the ground and I kneeled beside her, my eyes welling up with tears. "No, why did you do that? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-" I explained, but she weakly raised her hand. 

"Don't be sorry. You're right this world wasn't for me. But it was for you. You're stronger than ever before. I love you." She whispered before her eyes went dreamy as if a candle had blown out. I wiped away my tears and looked up at Rick. I got up to my feet and we made our way to the helicopters. 

People were already in them, and Rick and I walked into one that had a pilot but no passengers. I looked one more time at the farm. There were people running into the control rooms to turn the lights on. "They should turn this into a proper community." I suggested, and Rick nodded. I turned to the pilot. 

"Hi. I need you to fly us to here in Virginia." I gave the pilot a map of where Alexandria and the rest of the communities were, and they nodded. The helicopters began to fly upwards and I strapped myself and my bag in and looked over at Rick. "Are you nervous to see everyone again?" I asked him. 

"Yeah. I am." He replied. 

"Don't worry. I can promise you that they will be over the moon to see you." 

"You're right. Let's go home."


	98. My World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rick and Alana make their way back to Virginia. But have the Whisperer's taken over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so we are back now with some Alana/Daryl content, it was weird not writing Daryl content and I'm glad he's back now. So this is now going to continue on from the television series again. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 5 (Season 10 Part 1) - My World

The helicopters landed not far from Alexandria, about an hour away. We all got out with the 50 other workers. Rick and I stood up in front of them. "Thank you so much for following us. It means a lot that you volunteered to help us fight against the Whisperers. We have a large community where you can all live freely. We grow our own food, and we have water filters. It's everything we need to survive and you won't be forced to work. But the only thing we ask of you is to help us against the Whisperers. If you don't want to come with us, then you are allowed to leave whenever you want. Let's go." I explained. I led the way, Rick followed and the workers followed behind. Rick was now dressed in his own clothes, and he was carrying his gun.

I gasped when I realized how long it had been since I had seen my family. "It's been 6 months. Rick, it's been 6 months since I have been home. They will think that I died." I gasped. 

"You're telling me?" Rick laughed. I smiled. 

"They are going to go absolutely crazy when they see you again, Rick. Good crazy, though." I told him, and he smiled. "But maybe you should clean yourself up soon as well. You kind of look like a caveman." We both laughed. 

After an hour or so, we made it to the familiar hill. "You see that hill everyone. Whatever you do, do not cross it!" I pointed out to everyone, and they nodded. We walked around it until finally, we made it outside the Kingdom. It had been destroyed, but I could see that they were starting to rebuild it a little bit. I turned around to explain to everyone what had happened before we started on our way to Alexandria. Hilltop was on the other side of Alexandria. 

I gasped when finally we arrived at the gates. I beamed with happiness, I turned to my right and saw Rick, there were tears in his eyes. "I thought I would never see this place ever again." He whispered. I patted him on the shoulder before looking up to see if there was anyone on watch. There wasn't so I knocked on the gate. 

Someone rushed up to stand on the wall and I saw Beth's face. She hadn't changed much since I had last seen her, apart from the fact that her hair was darker, making her look even more like Daryl. "Oh my god." I whispered. 

"Mommy!" She shouted, she disappeared down the wall and the gates were pulled open. When they were fully open, I saw three people standing before me. Michonne had her hair pulled to the side, Beth was gesturing for Lilly to come over, and Daryl. He hadn't changed much, he still had the same messy hair, but this time he had a faint scar on his cheek. He dropped the crossbow to the floor, and at first, I could see the sadness in his blue eyes, but then he brought me in for the biggest hug I had ever had. 

"I love you." He whispered. "I thought you were dead." He continued. We broke apart finally, he turned his gaze to Rick, who was embracing Michonne just like Daryl and I had. Michonne and I stood to the side as Daryl and Rick reunited. They both cried. We all did. It was beautiful. Lilly and Beth ran at me like a pair of bulls and tackled me to the ground. 

"Wow. They are definitely your kids." I heard Rick say to Daryl, causing us to laugh. 

"Hey, kiddos." I whispered. I got to my feet and watched as Judith and RJ appeared from behind the gate. They stood in front of Rick, unsure of what to do Rick looked at them in pure shock, and I knew that he could tell that they were his children. 

"Judith?" He whispered. She wore Carl's old hat, making her look even more like a Grimes. Rick picked her up in his arms and her long hair swang behind her. They hugged each other before he put Judith back down to the ground, he then knelt down on his knees and opened his arms wide for RJ. The toddler ran so hard it knocked Rick off his feet. 

\---

After everyone had reunited, they all looked at the workers confused. "Who are all of them?" Michonne asked. 

"These are the people that are going to help us fight against the Whisperers, as long as we can give them accommodation." I explained. 

"Ok, we all definitely need to catch up." Michonne replied. The workers were welcomed into Alexandria, as the rest of us walked into the council meeting room to explain what had happened to us in the past months, and for Rick, years. 

"Ok, Rick first." I smiled. RIkc then proceeded to tell everyone what had happened up until that moment, just like he had to me, except this time he included our escape from Texas. 

"Wow, I remember Lilly. Is it too late to change this little one's name?" Daryl smiled, ruffling Lilly's hair. She looked up at him with a big smile. He nodded at me. "Ok, now Alana." 

"Well, you pretty much heard most of it. Except, well, as you know, I went looking for Beth and Judith in the snowstorm but I got lost and fell into a frozen lake. Lilly saved me, but then she knocked me out and took me all the way to Texas. I kept coming in and out of consciousness for months, it was like a paralyzed hell. Until finally, I woke up fully. And then it just continues from Rick's story. What has happened here?" I asked, shuffling around uncomfortably when I thought about Lilly dying. 

"A lot, actually." Michonne smiled, looking at Rick with a mix of elation, sadness, and shock. "For months, we didn't hear anything from the Whisperers, after we looked for you. Some of us didn't let either of you go though." She looked at Daryl briefly and he rolled his eyes. "But I made sure that we respected Alpha's wishes of staying behind on our side of the border. But soon, a Whisperer mask was found on the shore of Oceanside, which meant something must have happened. We were cautious for a while, but when we were training, we saw an old Russian satellite that must have crashed from space. It was floating in the ocean, all abandoned. It caused a fire, but we put it all out. Carol saw Alpha watching her, and tried to kill her, but we stopped her to prevent a war. Oh and by the way, Carol is not doing well at all, you should definitely check on her, Alana. She needs your help." Michonne continued, and I nodded, "We found out there was another person, sort of Alpha's third in command, after Beta, she's called Gamma. They are all very dangerous. We have Lydia and it is making them angry, we found their hoard. It's huge, the biggest hoard we have ever seen. The walkers invaded, wave after wave constantly, which meant that Alpha was sending them. We took them all out though, and Negan walked away in the process. We still don't know where he has gone but he is not our main priority right now. We were told by Gamma to meet Alpha at the border to talk. Obviously we brought weapons just in case, but she demanded more land, in punishment for crossing her border in the snowstorm. The meeting was yesterday. So now you are all up to date." Michonnne explained. 

"Carol? She's not ok?" Rick asked. Michonne explained Henry and Ezekiel to him. "And who else have we lost?" He asked. Daryl explained all of the lives that had been lost in the past 6 years. 

I sighed and turned to Rick. "Ready to be our leader again?" I asked, smiling. He smiled back. 

"I think I am, but I understand that you have a democracy now." He pointed to the council table. 

"We do, but don't worry, you will always be our leader."


	99. Stay or Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 weeks later, after settling in, Alana and Rick are ready to start the fight.

Chapter 6 (Season 10 Part 1) - Stay or Leave

"Just breathe. In and out. Ok, now push!" I urged, Rosita screamed, and out came a screaming baby. I let Siddiq continue with the process as I left the infirmary smiling. 

I wiped my hands on a towel before walking over to the gates, where some sort of commotion was occurring. 

The workers from Texas had fully settled in, some were living in the ruins of the Kingdom, because Hilltop and Alexandria were beginning to get overcrowded, and it was starting to become a real problem. 

I walked over and pushed through the crowd of workers, to where Michonne and Rick were standing. Michonne held her swords and Rick held his gun. I looked past them and saw Negan standing at the gates, looking rough. 

"Rick! You're back! You really are a son of a bitch for making me care that you had died." Negan sighed. 

"What do you want Negan?" Rick asked, warning. 

"Oh hey, Alana. It's good to see you back too." Negan smiled, and he gave me a little bit of a wave. I nodded. 

"He wants to come back. He needs a job and he can't survive out there alone, without his bat." I sighed, summarizing. 

"This is the last time you come crawling back here, Negan." Michonne stepped aside to let Negan in. "You go and start work on the gardens. To earn your stay." 

"Yes ma'am." Negan saluted before wandering off. The workers dispersed, and I looked at Rick. He had shaved, so now he was clean-shaven, and his hair was still curly, just as it had been when he had cleaned up the first time at Alexandria. 

"Looking good, Rick." I smiled, walking away. I heard him laugh, as I walked into the house. Now, Daryl, Lilly, Beth, Judith, RJ, Carol, Rick, Michonne, and I all stayed in the house. Beth and Lilly shared the largest room with Judith and RJ. Carol had her own separate room, and Rick and Michonne slept in the room next to Daryl and I. It was like we were all back together again, more or less. 

All of the children were sitting on the floor laughing when I walked in, and I saw Daryl eating an apple in the kitchen. He was talking to Carol. I didn't realize that Rick had followed me into the house, making me jump when he tapped me on the shoulder. "Oh my god, Rick!" I gasped. He smiled and we walked over to the kitchen. 

"Oh hey, guys." Carol waved. I hadn't seen her smile for a while, but when she saw Rick and I, she truly did smile, which lightened my heart. I grabbed a banana and lifted myself up to sit on the kitchen surface. Rick sat down on a stool and Daryl leaned next to me. Carol stood close to the door. 

"We were just talking about Ezekiel. He is not doing ok." Daryl sighed. 

"Is Shiva still around?" Rick asked, and I nodded smiling proudly. He smiled back. 

"Ezekiel's been acting differently though. He doesn't care about his personal safety and sometimes he even runs into fights. Sometimes he even starts them." Carol frowned.

"I'll check on him." I told her, giving her a comforting smile, she replied with a weak smile, even though I knew that she was stronger than me. 

"This is Magna. A huge group of walkers is invading our walls. We need back up, now!" She sounded stressed. I hopped off the counter and picked up my walkie talkie, but Rick had already beaten me to it. 

"Ok, we'll be over soon." He replied. He looked at me. 

"Alana, you stay here and look after the kids, and help Gabriel, or Rosita, maybe Eugene needs your help with something too. We've got this. Let's go. We will take some of the Texas workers." Rick explained, and before I knew it, they had already left the building. I walked over to the kids because they were looking at the closed door with worried faces. Judith got to her feet and reached for her knife. 

"Are they in danger?" She asked me, making her sound as grown up as I was. I smiled. 

"No, they've just gone to Hilltop to help against some walkers. It'll be fine. I'm going to go and check on things in the infirmary, so I'm trusting you to look after the younger ones. Can you do that for me?" I asked her, and she nodded. Beth stood up. 

"Mommy, you do know that Judith isn't that older than me?" Beth put her hands on her hips defiantly, and I smiled. 

"I do know that, Beth. But Judith gets to be in charge of protecting you all, and you get to be in charge of the fun that you all get up to! Now that is a big responsibility." I smiled at her and nodded determinedly. I left the house and was on my way to the infirmary when I heard a commotion coming from the gardens. Gabriel and I walked over together. 

"You heard it too?" He asked me, and I nodded reaching for knife just in case. But suddenly, I heard a fight between Ezekiel and one of the Texas workers on the other end of the community. We looked at each other. "I've got that. You go and check out what's happening in the gardens." Gabriel sighed walking over to Ezekiel. I nodded and continued into the gardens. I stopped next to some bed sheets that were drying and heard some voices. 

"You caused the walkers to invade Kingdom, and you caused it to fall. If you weren't here, we would still have a home!" An unknown voice stressed.

"This is not Lydia's fault! Leave her alone." I heard Negan's voice. Just as I stepped past the bedsheets, I saw one of the Kingdommers step forward to attack Lydia, but Negan stopped them and threw them to the wall. They hit their head, and a pool of blood poured around their lifeless body. Everyone was shocked, even Negan. 

"Go, now." I told the other Kingdommers quickly and with a warning tone. I looked back at Negan and Lydia. 

"I didn't mean to." Negan told me, for the first time, I could hear the fear in his voice. 

"I know, I was listening in. It's ok." I replied, he nodded, and Lydia looked at the dead body in shock.

“You shouldn’t have done that. That was my fight. I deserved it, and now someone else is dead because of me. Another person. As if I don’t have enough deaths on me already.” I could see the tears in her eyes as she stormed off out of the gardens, leaving Negan in shock. 

\----

A council meeting was called, almost immediately after Rick and the others returned. Negan stood before us, looking slightly angry but slightly worried about his survival chances.

“You are here, because you killed someone. There are eyewitnesses that can confirm that.” Michonne gestured towards the Kingdommers that were sitting in the corner of the room looking sad and ashamed. Lydia sat in the other corner of the room. “I heard that Alana witnessed it too. And I speak on behalf of the entire council when I say that I trust her word more than some bullies from the Kingdom. So, what happened?” Everyone turned to me and looked at Negan. I could see him pleading silently.

“Negan saved Lydia from violent attackers. They wanted revenge for what had happened at the Kingdom and what was happening in Hilltop. He didn’t mean for one of them to die.” I explained. There were murmurs.

“We have concluded; you cannot stay Negan. But we will give you two bags of supplies to help you out there. I’m sorry.” Rick explained, Negan laughed to himself in anger.

\---

We watched at the gates as Negan was exiled. I sighed and turned around, shaking my head at the floor. When I looked up, people were dispersing and going back to their jobs. I saw something in the corner of my eye and curiously followed it.

It led me down an alleyway between the houses, and up the wall. I jumped off the wall into the grass and saw that it was a person. I grabbed my knife and creeped after them. Until finally, they stopped moving at a cliff edge, that looked over a rushing river. I stopped creeping when I saw that it was Ezekiel.

I slowly approached him carefully, trying not to jump scare him. “Ezekiel, is everything ok?” I asked him. He jumped but when he turned around, I could tell that he had been crying.

“No. I have lost everything. My son. My wife. My home, and now, my people. And soon, my life.” He whispered. I frowned, concerned. “I trust you, please don’t tell anyone. You are a doctor after all.” He lifted his collar to reveal a large lump on the side of his neck.

“Thyroid cancer.” I whispered in shock, and he nodded knowingly, before turning around and standing dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. “Don’t step any closer to the edge, Ezekiel. Please. You haven’t lost everything. You still have us. And Shiva is waiting for you back at Alexandria. We can rebuild the Kingdom. It’s going to be ok.” I told him, as comfortingly as I possibly could. He turned around and looked me in the eye.

“That’s not enough.” He replied, pointing at his neck.

“I can try and fix it. Trying is better than leaving it to kill you. We can get through this. You need to at least try. Look, if you don’t think about yourself, think about Carol. I know that you are no longer together, but obviously you both still care strongly about each other. She has lost too much already to lose you, and I can’t lose her. She was with me when this all started. She lost her daughter, Sophia, at the beginning. She has lost so much in all of this.” I explained, pleading him to get away from the edge. He sighed and stepped back.

“You’re right. I need to think of other people, especially Carol. Thank you, Alana. I knew that it was a blessing when Rick and you stepped back on the doorstep again.”


	100. Contamination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unknown sickness takes over the community.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo happy 100th chapter! This was my first ever proper fanfiction, and I'm really happy I have a platform to express my feelings with a certain fandom. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the rest to come! :)

Chapter 7 (Season 10 Part 1) - Contaminated

"Have you found her yet?" I asked Connie, and she shook her head. Kelly had gone missing a day ago, and we were still searching the area, hoping to anything above that she had not been taken by the walkers, or worse. 

I signaled for the search group to come together again. The group was made up of Connie, Daryl, Magna, and me.   
  


"We going to check the last part of the forest before we go further on, into the city, ok?" I told them, and they nodded. We ran to the west side of the forest, close to the Whisperer's border but not quite there yet. We dispersed separately again to search. I looked behind tree after tree until finally, I found Kelly curled up with a cut on her head. She was breathing, and awake, but she looked mortified. 

"Oh my gosh, are you ok?" I asked the group gathered around me, and Connie crouched next to her sister. She spoke in sign language to her and Kelly shook her head. Connie looked over to me and pointed at Kelly then her ears. "She's having hearing problems?" I asked, pointing to my ears and then making a cross shape with my hands, they both nodded. 

"I can't, I can hear little things. But something came up from behind me and chased me through the woods, I couldn't hear anything." Kelly began to break down in tears when she recalled the events. Connie hugged her as we walked back home. 

When we arrived, I told Connie and Kelly to wait for me in the infirmary, while I just go to put my bag back in the house. I ran as fast as I could back into the infirmary and saw Siddiq sitting at the desk in the corner of the room. I smiled at him before I turned to Kelly and Connie.

I picked up a sterilized otoscope and directed it in her ear. Connie calmed Kelly down as I looked inside. There was nothing unusual, but I did see a slight difference in her ear, than to the normal ear. I gestured for Connie to take Kelly's place so that I could compare their ears. I wiped the otoscope down, before looking inside. I saw it. Kelly had the same ear shape as Connie, and it would be a genetic hearing loss setting in. I looked at them and picked up a notepad to write down my findings. Kelly looked shocked at first, so I wrote. "It's ok though, I can give you medicine that will prevent the hearing loss from becoming any worse than it already is, but I can't stop it completely. You can still hear a few things, but if you can't hear much, then don't worry, we have all got your back in case anything goes down." I explained. They both nodded gratefully, I gave her a written prescription, and they exited the infirmary. 

"Hey, Alana. I need to talk to you about Ezekiel." Siddiq whispered from the corner, I turned around and sat on the other side of the desk. "I think that you know what this is about." He whispered. 

"You know too?" I asked, and he nodded. 

"What are we going to do, because usually before all of the walkers, I would prescribe his level some radiation or chemotherapy, but obviously we can't do that. Do you have any other ideas?" He asked me. I sighed. 

"It's incredibly risky. But we could try cutting out the tumor. We could use the ultrasound to see how close it is to the vital neck veins and pipes before we start. We should talk about this with Ezekiel present." I explained. He nodded. 

"I'll start brainstorming some ideas." Siddiq replied, taking the notepad and pen I had used with Connie and Kelly. 

I exited the infirmary and made my way over to the house, to see where the kids were. I found Lilly sitting on the couch alone. I sat down next to her and put my arm around her. "What's wrong, Lil?" I asked. She sighed. 

"Beth wanted to play with me yesterday, but she has changed her mind and now she's playing with Judith instead." She explained, sniffling slightly. I frowned. 

"Did I ever tell you who you are named after?" I asked her. She shook her head and looked at me curiously. 

"You were named after my best friend, but she was only my best friend before all of the walkers came. I thought she had died when the bad people got rid of Atlanta people. But she survived. And when I met up with her after 10 whole years, she had changed. And there was a way back for her, she just couldn't see it. So she let it become who she was. And I don't want you to be like her. I want you to move on, and find something else to do, instead of being sad about something that happened in the past." I explained she nodded thoughtfully, before jumping off the couch and running outdoors. I smiled to myself before getting to my feet. 

I exited the house, and on my way out, I bumped into Carol and Daryl. "Oh, Alana! We were just looking for you. We need to show you something." Carol gave me a serious look, and I nodded confused. We all got into a car, and I made sure I had my weapons, in case of any mysterious attacks. I looked out of te window in confusion as we drove up a large hill and stopped at the side of the road. We all got out of the car, and I followed Carol and Daryl to the edge of the cliff. I gasped when I looked down. There were thousands of walkers. The biggest hoard I had ever seen in my entire life. 

"Holy. Shit." I whispered. I looked over at Carol and Daryl. 

"We are going to kill every single one of them. But we need your help." Carol and Daryl then proceeded to tell me their plan, only half of it seemed impossible. We drove back to Alexandria and I ran over to the infirmary as soon as I arrived. There were people everywhere. Filling up all the beds. A new doctor called Dante must have volunteered to help because now both him and Siddiq were frantically switching between patients. 

"What the heck is happening here?" I gasped to Siddiq. 

"There has been a strain of illness. It has lots of symptoms. Some are even fatal. We need to find the source, quickly!" Siddiq explained, before rushing over to help a patient cough. I looked around and my eyes fell on a specific patient. 

Beth was sitting weakly in her own bed, with Lilly holding her hand. 


	101. Lured in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alana desperately tries to find the cure to the illness, as loved ones start to become infected, but who will help against the hoard?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the midseason finale, I will be taking a day away from writing to plan for the second half of the season. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 8 (Season 10 Part 1) - Lured in

I gasped and ran over to Beth's bed. She was fast asleep, so I turned to Lilly. "Lilly! What happened? You can't be in here you will get sick!" I told her nervously. 

She looked up at me weakly, and I gasped. She was shivering, yet she had a blanket over her legs. “You are both infected?” I whispered in shock. She nodded and rested her head on the side of Beth’s bed. I stroked both of their heads and wiped away tears before running into the back room to look for Siddiq.

I gasped.

He was lying on the floor, his skin was ghostly white, and his eyes were lifeless. I dropped to my knees and pressed my ear close to his to hear. Silence.

“He’s dead.” I heard Dante’s voice from the corner of the room making me jump. Suddenly, it all became clear.

“You killed him. You killed Siddiq. He is a father, you son of a bitch.” I whispered, rage starting to engulf me, like flames. Before I could act, he pushed me forcefully against the wall and pressed my neck dangerously close to a scalpel. “If you kill me, everyone will know you are a killer.” I gasped for air as he pressed down on my neck. I felt an urge to throw up but I swallowed.

I pushed with all my force, sending him back against the racks of medical equipment. I gasped for more air as he came running back at me. He threw me to the floor, and I looked to the side. Siddiq was getting up, but his eyes were grey, like dirty water.

We both looked at him. I saw a dead friend that had reanimated, but I knew that Dante saw an opening to attack me instead. He pushed my head down and began to throw punch after punch. I felt my nose begin to bleed, and cuts start to form on my cheeks, and just as I felt dead enough and weak, Dante was pushed off me and into Siddiq. Siddiq ripped a huge chunk out of Dante’s neck, but there was a gunshot and Siddiq fell to the ground pooling in blood.

All of this was happening, while the room, for me, was spinning uncontrollably. I couldn’t see straight and I knew that I was bleeding. I looked, focusing all of my strength on steadying my gaze. I saw that Lilly had pushed Dante off me, and Rosita had shot Siddiq. Rosita rushed to shoot Dante, while holding her and Siddiq’s child, Coco, in her arms. Lilly weakly walked over to me and sat by my side. “Mommy, I told Daddy what was happening. He’s on his way.” She whispered, a croak in her voice. I tried to smile at her, but I felt sick to the bone.

Not long after, Daryl came running in, with Rick behind him. Daryl ran over to me, and Rick ran over to Siddiq and Dante and Rosita. Daryl lifted me up in his arms, and I knew that my sight was starting to get better with time. I smiled at him. “That son of a bitch tried to kill me.” I laughed, but it turned into a small cough. He lifted me up into a sitting position and I pointed to the correct medicine to give me. He grabbed it and I swallowed a couple of tablets, before starting slowly get to my feet. I carried Lilly into her own chair next to Beth’s bed, and tucked a blanket around her tightly, as she was fast asleep. I touched Daryl’s shoulder as we looked at our sleeping beauties.

“I’m going to find the cause of this sickness, and I am going to cure it.” I whispered, he nodded determinedly, kissed me on the forehead, and left the infirmary quickly. I stepped outside for a breath of air and to think.

“The sickness has all of the symptoms of the patients being contaminated. But what is contaminated?” I thought out loud. Eugene came walking up to me with his long hair tied back.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” He asked. And suddenly it all came to me.

“Eugene, follow me.” I told him, limping over to the small pond that we had, we had a small contraption that filtered the water into clean, drinkable water. I looked at the machine and sure enough, there was a vial of walker blood in place of the filtered water. “Shit.” I whispered. “Eugene, can you fix this right now?” I asked him, he nodded and started work on the machine. I quickly ran over to the infirmary and took out bottles of water we had found while on runs, instead of using the tap water. I got rid of everyone’s water, much to their complaints, but I explained what had happened and they thanked me gratefully.

After a couple of hours, with the new cleaner water, I could already see Beth and Lilly’’s temperature start to go down. I smiled, but the smile soon disappeared when Rick came rushing in, with a knowing look on his face. “Alana, you need to come right now.” He whispered, trying hard not to wake any of the patients up. I nodded and quickly followed him out of the door.

“Carol, Daryl, Connie, Magna, Jerry, Kelly, You and I, are going to go and quickly take one last look at the hoard. If you’re wondering why so many people, its because some of them wanted to see what they were working with, and so others followed.” Rick explained, I nodded and quickly grabbed my weapons. I placed them in their holsters and climbed onto the back of Daryl’s motorbike. We zoomed off towards the cliff. 

After we were all out of our vehicles, I walked to Carol, who was staring somewhere off beyond the hoard, with pure hatred. I followed her gaze to a hill, and Alpha was staring back, with a smug smile on her face. She wasn't wearing the walker mask so I could see the dirt around her eyes and mouth. I scowled at Alpha before turning to Carol. "We aren't here for her yet, Carol. We are here to get rid of the hoard. But one day in the near future we will get her." I told her, she nodded and we walked over to everyone else. Rick had layed out a map of the area on a bonnet of a car. 

"This is us and the hoard. If we go over to this corner of the map, and we set off the bomb, they will start to walk this way. They may even trample each other on the wa-" Rick was cut off when suddenly I heard a large number of footsteps near us, I looked up and took out my sword. Standing before us was a tall man, possibly 6 foot 9 or even 7 foot, he wore a walker mask over half of his face, and he was leading a group of the Whisperers towards us. "There are too many." Rick whispered, we started to back away slowly but the Whisperers didn't stop advancing. 

"Run!" I shouted, and we turned around and started sprinting. I could hear that the Whisperers were running after us, and I focused on my group, making sure everyone was ok. I could, as usual, start to feel the tug on my prosthetic when I ran quickly for a long amount of time, but I ignored the pain and continued running. We made it to a small garden area. 

"We could get in there and lose them." Rick pointed to a greenhouse, that was completely covered in rusted glass and grown out vines. We ran in and shut the door with a thud. I leaned and pushed against it, in case they had seen us and came running in. I watched as Rick looked about one of the clearer windows, and scowled. "Get to the door." He whispered, without looking away from the window. Daryl came up next to me and helped me push against the door, as the Whisperers pushed on the other side. I gave him a weak smile as we both used as much strength as we could. But we couldn't hold it for long as there were about 50 Whisperers pushing on the other side and only two of us. Suddenly there was a scream from Magna and I turned around, I saw everyone else looking in shock down a large hole in the floor. "It looks safe enough, for now, we should go down there, and wait until they have gone." Rick explained. We nodded and Daryl and I waited until everyone had jumped down the hole. 

"After 3. 1,2,3!" I counted and we let go of the door, it swung open, but we both jumped into the hole just as the door swung open. I landed with a thud on to a cold stone floor. I got to my feet and looked around. It was dark, but Magna had managed to find a stick and was making a torch with some of the walls/ We were in a cave. 

I walked over to where everyone was looking and gasped. On the edge of one the caves floors, there was a larger hole, and in the hole, was the majority of the Whisperer's walker hoard. 


	102. Caving in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group is trapped in a small cave with a huge hoard of walkers, but how will they get out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so during my planning, I have had to start filling in the blanks, because obviously the television show hasn't released new episodes yet, but I have planned a full season, with a finale and all. Season 11 will follow the finale shortly after. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 10 Part 2) - Caving in

Magna lit the torch and walked over to us, shedding light on the cave. "How are we meant to get out of here?" Daryl asked. 

I looked at Rick for guidance, but then I realized something. "Well the walkers got in here somehow, surely there is a way to get out." I explained. We all walked around and I ran my hand across the cold wall looking for an entrance. 

"Bingo." I heard Carol say. We all walked over. "That's big enough for all of us to fit through." Carol pointed. I nodded. 

"So who is going first?" I asked. Rick took the torch from Magna's hand and stepped straight into the gap, lighting the way. Jerry followed, then Carol, then Me, then Daryl, then Connie, Kelly, and Magna. It was a tight squeeze but we made it to another room style place. It was smaller than before but it was enough space to breathe. I looked over at Carol and noticed she was sweating a lot. Everyone seemed to have noticed and were now looking at her. 

"Are you ok, Carol?" Rick asked. 

"She's claustrophobic." Daryl replied. I walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. 

"I'm ok, don't worry about me." She smiled at me, but I just looked back at her, concern showing in my eyes. 

"I've found something." I heard Kelly say. We all looked around and saw a small crate, with dynamite in. "I don't know though, it seems a bit dangerous." She looked at us all nervously. 

I turned around and quickly continued to find another entrance for us to go through. "Here." I told them. There was an even smaller tunnel, that we would have to crawl through, but I could say a glimpse of light on the other side. 

"I think that one goes up." Daryl pointed out. I nodded. "Carol should go fir-" He was cut off when we all gasped. Carol had set off the dynamite and thrown it back into the other room where the walker hoard was. 

There was a huge explosion, that shook the floor. Rock began to fall from the ceiling. "Quick!" Rick shouted. We all crawled as fast as we could into the small tunnel, in the same order as before. I could feel the rocks around me starting to fall closer and closer. Suddenly, Carol stopped in front of me. 

"Why have we stopped?" I heard Daryl say from behind me, I didn't have enough space to turn around. 

"Carol." I whispered. I could hear her, quietly breathing quicker and quicker. "It's ok, Carol. Just go forwards and you will be out of here. You have been through worse." I could start to hear whimpers from way behind the tunnel, where the rocks were beginning to fall closer and closer to the end of the train of people, Magna was at the end, and at the moment, I had so much sympathy for her. "Carol, you need to move right now, lives are in danger. I know you can do this." I told her. She nodded and continued forward. She jumped out and into another room, this time there was a hole in the ceiling, leading outside. Rick kent down on one knee and lifted Carol. She climbed onto the surface and held down a hand for me. I grabbed her hand and she lifted me up. 

It felt so good to be back outside, with the fresh air. We helped Daryl, Rick, Jerry, and Kelly up. But just as Magna began to reach up, a walker took Connie from behind. She didn't get bitten, only jump scared. Magna took out the walker, but just as she reached up again, a couple more walkers started to appear. The rocks were getting more unstable by the minute, due to the impact of the dynamite. Without hesitation, I sighed and threw them my sword. They took out the walkers and I helped Magna up. But Connie didn't have enough time, and the walkers were pulling on her leg. "I'll get the walkers, while you guys pull Connie up." I told them. I took out my knife and leaned down into the cave. I almost fell in due to the shaking of the cave. I cut off the walker's hands and Connie was lifted, just as the rock's collapsed in on each other. 

I let out a shriek. A couple of large rocks had fallen on the arm with the knife in. "Oh shit." I whispered. I heard gasps from behind me, and Rick and Daryl rushed forward to push the rocks off me. When they did, I almost passed out. I could see a bone sticking out of my arm, but I couldn't feel it. "Well, that's going to have to go." I whispered, at my arm. 

"You are going to lose your arm?" Daryl asked, worry obvious in his voice. I nodded. He looked over at Carol, who was standing in shock, looking out, away from the cave. "She could have killed you. Killed all of us." Daryl whispered I could hear the uncertainty in his voice, as he had never been angry at Carol before. I put my good arm on his shoulder to calm him down but he shrugged it off. Rick helped me to my feet and we started the walk home. 


	103. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group recover from the aftershock of the cave, and an uninvited visitor arrives at Alexandria's walls.

Chapter 2 (Season 10 Part 2) - Regret

As soon as we got back to Alexandria, Daryl rushed me to the infirmary and I sat down on a bed. I was the only medic now, as both Siddiq and Dante were gone. 

I sighed and got back up to my feet, glad that I couldn't feel the pain, but I did realize something in that moment. "Daryl, I'm going to have to amputate the arm, we need a full-on surgery for me to fix this arm, and I think we should do the amputation as soon as possible because the feeling will start to come back. But there is a chance, because I only have one leg, that my blood supply will be cut short if I also only have one arm. So can you go and get me some of the blood in the IV, and I need a good prosthetic. I think that Eugene made some in the back room." I explained. He hesitated but nodded and went off into the back room. I brought over a table for me to lean on, and I tied a zip tie tightly around the top of my arm. 

Daryl reappeared with a familiar-looking prosthetic. "This one is like your leg prosthetic, I think. It attaches to your bone and muscles and it moves just like a real arm would. " He pointed at my leg prosthetic and I nodded. 

"Yes but I won't be able to do the surgery, as I will probably pass out, can you go and get Eugene?" I asked Daryl, he nodded and ran off to go and find Eugene. I sighed and looked down at my leg. Glenn had given it to me, and Hershel had attached it. What I would do to have them back here with me now.

I sighed, and Eugene came running into the infirmary. I knew that he was squeamish, and sure enough, he flinched as soon as he saw my arm. 

"Eugene, I need you to attach your own invention to me. You know the prosthetic that attaches to the bone and muscle?" I asked him, he nodded, and I gave him a weak smile. "You've got this. Just pretend I'm a robot, or something other than a human." I laughed. He smiled uncertainly and walked over to Daryl. 

"Daryl, you should leave, there will be a lot of blood over here, and it is very likely she will be in pain." Eugene muttered under his breath, even though I could still hear him. However, Daryl came and sat beside me as Eugene prepared. 

"Ok, ready?" Eugene asked I nodded. I tried to ignore the sounds that were coming from him hacking off my arm, and I tried to focus on the pain, that was coming back like a battering ram. Suddenly, the pain shot up like a firework inside of me, and it was too much, I let out a shriek before passing out. 

\---

I woke up, feeling better than I thought I would. It was still light outside, which meant that I hadn't passed out for longer than a day. I looked to my arm, and there it was. Most of it was covered under the sleeve of my jacket, but I could still see the hand. It looked like a robot's hand. I now had a pair of robot prosthetics. 

I tried to clench my hand into a fist, and sure enough, it worked. I laughed to myself and got up out of the bed. I was alone in the infirmary, which was strange as Daryl would usually wait for me, but I sighed and walked over to the backroom, to put all of the unused equipment back in its place.

I then picked up my bag, and placed my weapons in their holsters, before exiting the infirmary. I got a few looks, but I just waved back at them happily. Rick was talking to Carol in a hurried tone, but they both looked up when I walked over. Carol hugged me and Rick smiled a wide smile. 

"Arrr." I waved my hand and leg while sounding like a pirate. They laughed. "Where's Daryl?" I asked. 

"That's what we were talking about. You had passed out for around 3 hours, and he wanted to help. So he decided to go after Alpha." Rick explained I gasped as worry started to fill me from head to toe. 

"We need to go after him. If he's been gone for this long, we have to go and find him something could have gone wrong." I started to say, but Rick raised a comforting hand.

"Lydia already went after him. We were just about to send out a rescue team when you came over." He explained. Without thinking, I ran towards the gate. But as soon as I went to open it. It was pulled open on the other side. 

I gasped. Lydia had Daryl leaning on her shoulder, and he looked badly beaten up. He had scratches and cuts all over his face, and he was bleeding out of his leg. "You should see Alpha." He laughed, weakly. I helped Lydia get him over to the infirmary, and before she left, I whispered to her.

"Thank you so much. Truly." I told her, she nodded as if it was nothing, before leaving the infirmary and heading over to the gardens. I turned to Daryl and began to work the fastest, that I had ever worked in my entire life. In 10 minutes, he was all stitched up, and he would need another 20 minutes before he would be able to walk as if nothing had happened. I sat by him on the chair next to the bed and he looked at my prosthetic. 

"Carol did that. She becoming reckless, Alana." Daryl whispered. This was the first time he had ever opposed Carol, and it felt strange, almost wrong. 

"It's ok, it doesn't stop me from doing anything." I smiled at him, but he looked at me seriously. 

Suddenly the door to the infirmary swung open, and Beth, Lilly, and Rick came walking in. Well, Rick came walking in, Beth and Lilly ran at us quickly. Beth sat on the edge of Daryl's bed, while Lilly came over to me and sat down on my lap. She pointed at my arm in shock and wonder. 

"Woah." She whispered, making me smile. I looked up at Rick, who laughed his usual quiet laugh. It looked like he was about to say something, but the gates to Alexandria started to open and he closed his mouth, confused. 

"That's strange, we don't have anyone outside of the walls right now." He whispered, reaching for his gun. We watched from the window as a woman entered, with her hands held up. When I looked closer, I could see that she had dark circles around her eyes and mouth. 

She was a whisperer. 


	104. Monsters in the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The visitor isn't greeted with open arms, and another unwelcome guest takes their visit too far.

Chapter 3 (Season 10 Part 2) - Monsters in the Night

I walked out of the infirmary, after telling Beth and Lilly to make sure Daryl doesn't get out of bed. Rick followed me as we walked over to the whisperer, but Gabriel and Rosita beat us to it. Rosita pinned her down so that she was face down on the floor, and she held her arms down so that she couldn't attack. 

"What do you want?" Gabriel asked. 

"I am Gamma, I was sent by Alpha to tell you never to go back to that hill, where you keep looking at the hoard. It is her land now." She explained.

"Does she know that we need land as well? She can't just take everything, we need some as well!" Rick stressed. 

"I'm just the messenger." Gamma told us. Gabriel nodded to Rosita and Rosita pulled Gamma to her feet and walked her to the cell, that used to hold Negan, wherever he was now. 

"Gabriel and I will interrogate her. You stay with Daryl." Rick told me, I nodded and walked back over to the infirmary. Daryl was asleep, and Beth and Lilly were talking in hushed voices. 

"Are we going to war yet?" Beth asked me, catching me off guard. 

"No, Beth. Not yet anyway." I knelt down on my knees and looked them both in the eyes. "But I want you both to know, that even if there is a war, you two will my first priority. And that I promise with all my heart that I will keep you safe." I looked out of the window and noticed that it was starting to get dark. "Ok, time for bed, you two." I smiled, as they started their arguments against going to bed. 

"Can we just sleep in here with Daddy?" Lilly asked, I thought about it and came to my decision. 

"Sure. There are some blankets and pillows in the back room. Only touch those, and nothing else." I explained, they nodded. 

After they were both tucked in, and starting to fall asleep, I sat by the window. I couldn't sleep, which was common after an amputation, so I just looked out of the window and up at the stars. There were still a couple of people walking about, that was to be expected, as Alexandria wasn't that big, yet there were more and more people by the day. It made me worry about what would happen when we ran out of space. I sighed and looked over at Rick and Michonne's house. It felt so good for Rick to be home, and before he was here, I even wondered from time to time, what Judith and RJ would have grown up with if Rick was around, now I knew. Judith was teaching Beth all of her ways with sword and guns, I didn't mind because Beth would have to know eventually, and I knew that one day she will need to protect both her and her sister. But I drew the line with Lilly. She was only 5 and a half years old, just like RJ, she was too young to be using weapons, instead, they tell each other stories, with the occasional walker involved. 

I looked back at the pavements and frowned, there was now no one walking around outside, which was strange. I looked closer and gasped. There were people lying on the floor, and I could see movement. A large figure, they avoided the light, but I could tell they were alone. I pulled out my knife, and walked slowly to the door. I peered out of the window again and saw that they were heading for the cell with Gamma. They must be a Whisperer. I put my hand on the door handle and looked back at the window, but I saw another person, shaped like Rick, came out of his house holding a gun. I looked one more time at my family behind me, before running over to Rick, knife in hand. 

He jumped when he saw me, but didn't make a sound. He put a finger to his lips and we continued to walk as quietly as possible to the cells. I looked in horror at the innocent victims that now were lying in a puddle of their own blood on the floor. We walked into the cell and gasped. Rosita was tackling the huge giant, and Gamma was unconscious on the floor. I realized who it was. It was Beta, Alpha's second in command. I instantly threw my knife into his thigh, he only let out a grunt before swiping me away into a wall, like a fly. Rosita continued to tackle him, as Rick attacked, but I could see in Beta's eyes that he knew he was outnumbered. He quickly threw Rosita against the wall before running out. I followed him and watched as he disappeared into the night. 

"He came after Gamma. Probably to kill her so that she wouldn't give up any secrets." I told Rick and Rosita, back in the cell. They nodded. 

"We have to get rid of the bodies, before people start waking up." Rick pointed to the outside pavements and I nodded. 

\---

After all of the bodies had been cleared, I had gone back to the infirmary. No one stirred, as if nothing had happened, and I fell asleep.

I woke up, with a start, but I realized that I the only one awake. It was light outside and there were people starting to move about. I gently tapped on Daryl's shoulder to wake him up. He smiled at me. He got out of bed, and I helped him to get him dressed, afterward we ate some breakfast. He didn't need my help with walking, as he could walk well, apart from the limp, he just wouldn't be able to run, which worried me. 

We walked over to Michonne, who was packing to get ready on her own separate trip to a far off island, that was said to have many weapons. "Good luck out there, Michonne." I told her, she smiled, hugged Rick, and drove off. Rick and a small group were also getting ready. Except Daryl and I were coming with them. The group was made up of Carol, Rick, Daryl, Rosita, Aaron, Judith, Jerry, and Ezekiel. We were heading to Hilltop, to help plan their defenses. 

We all piled into a truck and made our way down the road towards Hilltop. We arrived in no time. 

There was no one formally leading Hilltop anymore, it was more of a community thing now, as everyone that had led Hilltop was either dead or had left. We walked into the large house and met up with Magna's group. They had a map set out on a desk, and we began the planning. 

We took a break, and I walked out of the room to get a breather, I leaned against the wall beside Rick and listened to Carol and Daryl talk. 

"Daryl, I'm so sorry about the cave. I truly am. I'm not sure what came over me." Carol was saying. There was a delay before a reply.

"I forgive you, but you need to be more careful. You can't only think about the ending of something, you have to think about what it will take to get there." Daryl replied. I smiled. 

"That is probably the most insightful thing I have heard Daryl say, ever." Rick laughed, I laughed. We went back into the office and continued planning. 

After a while, we had planned a full-on war defense, that would be capable of stopping near any attack. But by the time we had finished, it was dark outside. 

Suddenly there were screams from outside, and we rushed to the windows. I gasped. 

There was fire approaching Hilltop, starting at the trees. 


	105. Evacuate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone tries to help against the fires, but will they take over Hilltop?

Chapter 3 (Season 10 Part 2) - Evacuate

We rushed out of the house as fast as possible, and I grabbed a bucket of water from one of the shops, I threw it at the trees but it was no use, the fire spat back, and I had to take a step back to avoid getting burned. We threw water after water at the fire, but it just raged on. 

"What are we going to do?" I asked, to anyone. 

"We should evacuate Hilltop! The fire is too strong, and we can't waste our water!" Magna replied, shouting of the Hilltop workers, and the creaking of the trees as the fire reveled in the pain and chaos it had caused. 

"We can't leave Hilltop so soon! We have to fight!" Daryl shouted back. 

Rick shook his head at Daryl and he sighed. "Let's evacuate." Rick said, no shouting. I nodded and we went separate ways to help pack up. I ran over to a baker and helped pack his family's belongings into a couple of bags, before sending them off towards Alexandria in the dead of night. 

After every one of the workers had been evacuated it was time for us to go. But then the trees started to fall. It crashed down on the main exit. "We need to separate!" Rick shouted. We nodded and I followed Rosita and Carol into the trees. I gave Daryl one last look before we disappeared into the woods. 

After a while of running, we started to walk, out of breath. "That was the Whisperers. We should just get it over with and kill them all." Rosita sighed. 

"You're preaching to the choir here." Carol smiled. I realized that I hadn't seen Rosita and Carol talk that much, and it gave off a sort of chaotic but calm vibe. 

"Does anyone have any idea where we are?" I asked, looking around at the trees in confusion. 

"Nope, but I know we should be heading north because that is where Alexandria is." Carol replied. 

"I can't believe Hilltop is gone. They are taking out each of our communities one by one." Rosita sighed. 

"We have more people now than ever at Alexandria, lets see if they can take that place down." I smiled, thinking of Alpha's shocked face as we got rid of every single follower she had, and then finally her. 

Suddenly, two walkers interrupted my thoughts. They came out of a bush and tackled me to the ground. Rosita pulled one off me and stabbed it in the head as I brutally hit the one on top of me with a rock. It rolled off me and I got to my feet. I looked around. "Wait. Where did Carol go?" I asked. She had completely disappeared. 

"She was here a second ago. Shit." Rosita whispered we looked around. 

"If she doesn't meet us back at Alexandria, then we will go looking for her." Rosita sighed, we started continuing our way back home. 

\---

Finally, the gates of Alexandria welcomed us home. And Daryl was waiting on the other side. I brought him for a hug, before realizing how crowded it had become. There were way too many people now at Alexandria, as we had the whole Alexandrian community, Kingdom community, a massive tiger, Hilltop community, and the Texas workers. There were too many people, and a lot of them were already sleeping on the streets. If I moved one step, I would be almost touching somebody else. 

We pushed our way towards the infirmary, where I knew it wasn't as cramped. Rick, Rosita, Carol, Daryl, Magna's group, Eugene, Aaron, Beth, Lilly, Judith, RJ, and Gabriel were all inside waiting. 

"Carol? Where did you go?" I asked, she shifted uncomfortably and avoided the question. We looked towards Rick. 

Before he could say anything someone else entered the infirmary. Michonne. 

Except she was followed by someone else. A man. 

They were both holding at least 3 crates each. "These all have weapons in, and we have way more on the horse and cart." 


	106. Undercover Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group starts to prepare for a war when secrets are discovered.

Chapter 5 (Season 10 Part 2) - Undercover Murder

After we had helped her and the mysterious man bring in all of the huge crates from the cart, I looked at it all in wonder. There must have been at least a hundred guns altogether. We turned to Michonne.

"This is Virgil. He helped me get the weapons, but he can't stay." She looked at Virgil, and he nodded, before suddenly leaving. I watched as he got into a car and drove off. 

"Oh. That was brief." I whispered. 

"He isn't a very talkative person. Plus, he had somewhere to be." She told us. 

"Where did you get all this?" Rick asked. 

"An abandoned military base, on an island." Michonne replied. I took off the lid of one of the crates and picked up a machine gun in my hands. It was heavy, but I knew that it was a lot of firepower. 

"Wow." I whispered to myself. I could see a range of emotions, but mostly worry as they all knew that I was a particularly clumsy person, so I put the machine gun back in its crate. 

"We'll start handing out assault rifles, but the more dangerous guns go to more experienced people." Rick commanded. We nodded and people dispersed, leaving Carol and me alone together. She sat down and looked at the wall. I could tell there was something there that she was seeing, but I wasn't. 

"Carol. Talk to me. What's happening?" I asked her. 

"It's Alpha. She taunts me. In my head. I know it sounds crazy, but its been going on since Henry... you know." She sighed. I looked at her concerned. 

"Is it debilitating?" I asked. 

"Sometimes. But I found these pills while on a run. I am running out. Do you have any more?" She asked. I took the bottle of pills from her hand and looked at it carefully. 

"Carol, you shouldn't take this. They aren't good for you. They are actually making you worse. You should try getting over it, maybe the war will help with that if Alpha dies, do you think your hallucinations will go?" I asked her. She nodded. 

We were interrupted by Daryl and Rick. "Daryl and I are going to go out one last time before the war to check on Alpha." Rick told us, before leaving. I got up and picked up the machine gun again. 

"What do you think? I kinda like it." I smiled at Carol, attempting to make her laugh. She laughed. 

\---

After an hour or two of helping the many people outside settle down and start to space out. I walked back into the infirmary with everyone else. 

"This is Rick and Daryl. Are you there? It's important." Rick's voice came from my pocket and I took the walkie talkie out. Everyone looked at it expectantly. 

"We found Negan. He has been working undercover as a Whisperer. He is coming back with us." Rick replied I could hear the subtle pain in his voice that no one else apart from Michonne could hear. I gave her a knowing look. 

"Was that what was important?" I asked. 

"No, we found something else. Alpha's head. Not attached to her body. Negan says that it was Carol and himself that did it." Rick told us. Suddenly the room went silent. All eyes were on Carol until a different voice came on over the walkie talkie. I recognized it as Beta's. 

"We're coming." He whispered, and I heard an ominous chant that said the same from around him. 


	107. Goodbye Home Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small group returns with a new ally, home is taken away from the community, and will the Whisperers win the silent war?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the penultimate episode, and also where I begin to start writing my own plotlines, and start to fill in the blanks. The next two episodes (including this one) are probably the most action-packed episodes I have ever written, so I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 6 (Season 10 Part 2) - Goodbye Home Town

The door to the infirmary broke through the silence like a wave ripping through a frozen lake. In entered Eugene, Yumiko, and Ezekiel, and an unknown woman. She wore a bright pink jacket and had purple hair. She wore goggles and large black boots. I smiled at her, and I could instantly see her bubbly personality through the way she carried herself. 

"Hi! I'm Princess." She smiled. She looked innocent, yet she carried an assault rifle that was splattered in blood. 

"Hey there." I waved. But I knew that everyone else was as silent as dead as the news sunk in. 

"Woah, why does everyone look like they've seen a ghost?" She asked.

"Alpha's dead, and there is a huge hoard coming for us." I told the group that had just entered. Princess poked through the crates and found the machine gun. 

"Cool." She whispered. 

"I know right." I replied, and she smiled at me. 

"Everyone needs to get ready. We brought Princess. She knows the whole of Virginia better than anyone any of us have ever met. She has planted huge boom boxes in places that she knows will draw them away." Ezekiel explained. I nodded. Rick and Daryl came running back into the room. They didn't need to say anything, I could already tell by their faces that the herd was here. 

"There are way more than we thought. We have to evacuate." Rick told us. The words hit like knives. I loved Alexandria as if it was a person. 

"We don't have long so go and get your things." Rick urged. Everyone filed out and I ran as fast as I could to the house. I ran into my room, and I looked at the crib. I would have to leave it. Abraham had built it, and it was the only thing I had left from it. I ripped off part of the ribbon he had tied to the corner of the crib and tied it around my wrist. Lilly and Beth ran into their room and grabbed their things. Daryl entered our room. 

Tears started to fall down my face as I looked at the pictures we had on our wall. There was Glenn, Sasha, Abraham, Hershel, Beth, Maggie, Rick, Lori. So many lives. My family. I shoved every single picture into the bag. And looked at my room one last time. I carried Lilly and Beth down the stairs and we ran out. We ran out of Alexandria quickly, just as the hoard appeared from the trees. 

"Daryl, come with me. Alana, you lead that group, with Gabriel. There is a hospital that will be safe for the children!" Rick ordered. I looked at Daryl one last time before we separated. I ran and caught up with Gabriel and half of the community. There was Ezekiel, Shiva, Gabriel, Rosita, Lydia, RJ, Michonne, Judith, Beth, Lilly, and Aaron, that I recognized. Everyone else was from a mix of Kingdom, Texas, Alexandria, and Hilltop. 

We ran in the direction of the hospital. And I looked one more time at Alexandria, remembering all of the memories I had. I could hear Lilly crying beside me, I stroked her hair to comfort her as I saw a house, possibly even ours fall to the ground. But deep inside I knew that the memory of the lost wasn't there, it followed us wherever we went. I sighed and looked back before us. 

We arrived at the hospital, and everyone rushed inside. Gabriel and I pulled the door shut and were helped by many people to border them shut. We ran up the stairs and made sure that all of the children stayed together. I kept them all on the fourth floor. I turned to Judith, Beth, and Lydia. "You are all the oldest out of all the children here. I won't be able to stay here all the time. At some point, I will need you three to protect the others. I trust you all and good luck. I love you all." I looked at them, and hugged them, before running towards the crates. I took out the machine gun and carried it with both hands. I ran into Rosita on the way down the stairs, she was carrying Coco, her child. 

"Wow, Alana. Good luck." She smiled, and her eyes lingered on the ribbon on my head. She gave me a knowing smile and I returned the smile to her. We quickly separated and I continued down the stairs. Gabriel was looking out of the window. And I grabbed an assault rifle and thrust it into his hands. 

I looked out of the window and gasped. There were hundreds of thousands of walkers outside of the hospital. It shocked me so much, and I knew that there was a low chance of surviving this, but I looked towards Gabriel and put on a smile. 

"We have come so far, Gabriel. I remember when you were a whimpering priest. Now you are badass and I trust you with my life. Go and protect them, I've got this." I told him. He hesitated. 

"I want to help. You can't fight them all by yourself." He told me, and I gave him an even wider smile, not moving my eyes from the hoard. 

"Don't worry, I'll just be holding them off. Besides, I'm not alone."


	108. Whisper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale of Season 10, good vs evil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do hope you enjoy this finale, it is extremely action-packed, and I will be releasing season 11 tomorrow. :) Also this has swearing in it. 
> 
> ps: Season 11 is the final season

Chapter 7 (Season 10 Part 2) - Whisper

I stood, with the machine gun gripped in my hands. Then I thought of something. I ran up the many flights of stairs, with Shiva bounding after me. We reached the roof, and I saw Ezekiel, Aaron, and Michonne standing, aiming their guns at the hoard.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise, that was coming from five different directions. It was so loud that the floor vibrated beneath us. I looked around and remembered what was happening. Princess had placed boomboxes in places where she knew the walkers would get killed, and sure enough, the walkers began to separate from the whisperers. I watched in awe, as the crowds of hundreds of thousands of walkers started to disperse in different directions. Some headed towards what I knew to be a huge fish factory, that had a large shredder, another headed to a place that held dynamite, and I didn't know where the others went but I trusted that Princess knew. I smiled when I saw that there were now only the Whisperers left outside. There were still thousands of them though, and they surrounded us like a predator circling prey. 

I took out my yellow walkman from my bag and put in my headphones, I turned on Daryl's favourite song and picked up the machine gun. I put a huge grin on my face before holding down the trigger. The gun shot bullets out left, right and centre, and it almost threw me back, but I rooted my feet to the ground like anchors, and aimed at the Whisperers, I looked over at the people on the roof, who were looking at me in shock, some were looking at me in pure amusement, and I smiled back. 

I took out at least a hundred of them before they started to advance, this caused the people on the roof to shot their guns with me, and I put down the minigun and rooted through the crates. "Holy shit. Hell yes." I whispered to myself. I picked up an RPG and smiled. 

"Oh no, we are all going to die." I heard Ezekiel laugh as I aimed the rocket launcher. I shot it and an explosion erupted in the middle of the Whisperers. I was destroying them. But I had still only taken out abut 150 out of about 2000. After a couple more shots, I ran out of ammo and placed my walkman back in the bag. I took out an assault rifle and ran down the stairs, as I saw them starting to break past the bordered up doors. I watched as Shiva ripped into a couple of them, but one of them stabbed a knife into her, so I shot them in the head and took the knife out of Shiva, she ruffled her fur and continued fighting as if nothing had happened. 

I shot whisperer after whisperer, but then Beta came towards me, he looked as if he had had enough of me, and he through me violently against the wall. He pinned me down using the strength that he had, and I could feel the air quickly rushing out of me, but then there was a gunshot, and he fell to one knee.. He let me go and I fell to the ground gripping my neck. I gasped for air, but I didn't need to for long as Ezekiel shot at Beta. I heard him giving a war cry and smiled to myself. Beta let go of me and walked towards Ezekiel he threw Ezekiel to the ground. "Ezekiel!" I shouted after him.

"Go! You can't save me, let me go out fighting!" He shouted. Tears streamed down my face. 

"I can't leave you!" I shouted back, trying to pull Beta off him, but it was no good. I heard Shiva roaring with anguish as Ezekiel was beaten. Ezekiel gave me one last smile before he was killed by Beta. 

I staggered back, sadness and anger engulfing my heart, I looked at Beta with pure rage. But I didn't have time to attack as someone already beat me to it. I heard a gunshot. 

I looked behind him and saw Beth aiming her gun at him. I gave her a sad smile, and when she smiled back at me she looked exactly like Daryl. My heart swelled in my chest as together we beat up Beta. We left him, as he started to get back onto his feet, and I shouted to Beth over the sound of the Whisperers and screams. 

"Go and tell Gabriel and Michonne that we need to retreat and start evacuating the children. I'll protect you all down here. I have found something. Go!" I shouted. She nodded and disappeared upstairs. I protected Shiva from another group of whisperers and I realized that I was starting to stand on bodies, as there were so many people everywhere. I saw someone kill a Texas worker and I ran to them, driving my knife into their neck. I put the texas worker out of their misery and continued to kill Whisperer after Whisperer. Until finally, everyone started to run down the stairs, I cleared the path for them, with the help of Shiva. After everyone had left, Gabriel held the door open for me, and I shook my head. I pointed to the dynamite that was lying under the stairs. He nodded, gave me a sad smile and exited, leaving me and Shiva alone in a hospital full to the brim with Whisperers. Shiva protected me as I ran through the hospital and placed the dynamite in the centre. I rigged it to blow and looked at Shiva. 

I ruffled her hair and she purred affectionately. I sighed and pushed the button on the dynamite. I had 2 minutes to get out of the hospital before it blew. 

Shiva and I ripped through the crowds that were grabbing at our lives and quickly exited the hospital just as the heat seared my back. The explosion would have been heard from miles around. I looked around and saw that walkers were starting to appear from the woods. But I looked at the hospital and walked onto the rubble. I lifted up a couple of the rocks, and sure enough, a lifeless Beta was lying there. I smiled to myself, as most of the Whisperers were now dead. 

Shiva and I quickly ran towards the direction of Gabriel's group. The walkers were coming quickly. There were hundreds of them. I met up with Gabriel and the rest of the group. People were looking at me with astonishment, but also shock and pain. I looked around and saw that some people were carrying dead loved ones, others had injuries. Ezekiel was gone. I knew that sadness was visible on my face. 

"Wait, where is Ezekiel?" People started to ask, and I stood up on a platform. 

"I say this with regret. Ezekiel died for us today. He gave his life for us to live. Let's avenge him." He told them. I could see the wave of sadness as the news hit them like a hammer against a nail. 

Michonne put a hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry. Ezekiel was a good guy. But I just got a message from Rick. We need to go back to Alexandria, that's where the hoard of walkers are heading to. That's where the group is surrounded. We have to help them." She sounded urgent and I nodded. She explained it to everyone and we started our journey over to Alexandria. I prepared myself for the sight of it. But when we arrived it still looked habitable. 

I saw Daryl and the rest of the community fending off the potential home with their lives. I ran through the hoard and when I reached Daryl he looked at me up and down. I realized I was completely covered in blood. "Oh yeah, so I blew up the Whisperers." I told him. I heard him laugh as we killed a walker together. 

I realized I had no more bullets left and threw the gun away, I took out my sword and started swinging. But a walker grabbed my ankle and pulled me down to the ground. I saw that Daryl was surrounded too. And Rick had walkers grabbing hungrily at his limbs. "Shit." I whispered. But I thought of everyone that had lost their lives for us to live and I decapitated the walker and got to my feet. I made my way over to help Daryl then Rick but out of nowhere a walker came to bite my neck, I gasped, bracing myself for impact, but it never came. I opened my eyes and saw Negan standing in front of me. The walker had its mouth closed around his arm, from where he had protected me and I stabbed the walker in the head, violently. I looked at Negan in shock. He had bitten. 

I didn't have time to think, because Carol came running up to me holding more dynamite. "We can lure all of the walkers into Alexandria then do what you did at the hospital. I want to do it." She told me. I nodded but when she turned to go and place the dynamite I held her hand. 

"Carol, you are my sister. Make sure you make it out of there." I told her, she smiled and nodded. I ran into Alexandria and shouted as loudly as I could. "Over here you sons of all that is fuckers!" I shouted. Daryl looked at me as if I was crazy and I winked at him. "Trust me." I whispered to him. He nodded as the entire hoard started to walk towards me hungrily. I stepped back and back. 

"It's done. Run!" I heard Carol say. I nodded and dodged through the crowd of walkers. 

"Run!!!!!" I yelled at the top of my voice and I pushed the gate shut, just as Carol got blown out of Alexandria by the explosion. I pushed with the help of Rick and Daryl, and the gate was shut. I ran over to Carol, who was unconscious. I looked at her in shock, she had burns on the right side of her. They would leave a scar, but I knew that she would survive. 

I looked around and saw that there were dead bodies everywhere, but there were more alive than dead. "Where now?" I asked. 

But before anyone could answer, Eugene came running up to us holding out his walkie talkie.   
  


"I need your help. I know its been a long time, but you need to come right now. I'm close by." 

It was from Maggie. 


	109. Air Hangar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group goes to save an old friend, but they need a new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, its the start of season 11, this will be like a trip down memory lane, before the series ends, so I hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 1 (Season 11 Part 1) - Air Hangar

I looked up at Rick in shock. "Maggie?" I whispered. It had been three years since I had heard her, let alone seen her. 

"We have to go and find her. Only Alana and I will go, everyone else help everyone, a lot of people will be injured." Rick told them. 

Rick and I grabbed our weapons and ran towards the source of the commotion. We came across a small group of walkers, and together we destroyed them. Standing behind that group of walkers was Maggie. 

Her hair was longer now, and she looked tired. I realized that she was holding the hand of a small boy. Hershel. He had Glenn's dark hair, but Maggie's bright green eyes. He held an axe in his hands. 

"Rick?" She whispered, Rick awkwardly waved before they hugged. Hershel looked confused at first, but then he realized that Maggie must have known who Rick was. 

Then Maggie turned to me. I could see tears in her eyes. "Alana. It's so good to see you." She smiled, I hugged her, before waving at Hershel. 

"He looks a lot like Glenn." I told her, she nodded with a large smile on her face. "Is there any major news?" She asked as we walked back to the temporary camp. I proceeded to explain to her everything that we had been through that she had missed. She nodded taking it all in. 

"So Enid, Jesus, Tara. They are all gone?" She asked I nodded. A flicker of sadness played on her face, but it disappeared when she saw the rest of the community. Beth and Lilly came running over to me, and I laughed. "Wow! They have grown so much. Lilly really does look like you, Alana." Maggie smiled. 

Everyone reunited, before we settled down for the night, to plan where we would go next. We sat down, around a campfire that Daryl had built. "I found Georgie, at a military base. It's full of air hangars, but its abandoned, I think we could go there. But it would only be temporary because Georgie uses it for storing her resources." Maggie explained. We nodded. 

"We could go there, for a couple of weeks or so. And in that time we can go on runs, to find a place suitable for all of us. Does anyone have any ideas?" Rick asked, looking around. 

"We could check in on Atlanta, for supplies, and then start scouting around the area for some sort of community." I suggested. They nodded. 

"Ok, we will all go to the air hangars tomorrow, but now we need some sleep." Michonne sighed. 

Daryl and I walked over to where Beth and Lilly were fast asleep. We rested our heads on our bags and slowly fell into a slumber. 

\---

We woke up, and everyone ate a little before we started the walk. Maggie led at the front. We followed over hills, and through fields, and across rivers and lakes until finally, I saw it. There was a runway for when they used to have planes, and there were 5 air hangars, each had a skylight. We walked in and found that 2 of them were empty. People started settling in. I helped Beth and Lilly get acquainted with Hershel before I walked over to Negan, who had been making it his main job to avoid Maggie at all costs. He now sat in a dark corner, leaning against the wall. 

"Show me your arm." I told him, he hesitated. I gave him a look, and he lifted up his sleeve. Sure enough, there was a bite mark on the lower half of his arm. "We are cutting it off." I told him, without question. I went over to the medical boxes and brought out the bone saw. He cowered back. "Negan, the least you can do is give me your arm. Think of it as me saving your life because you saved mine." I told him, he sighed and I proceeded to hack off his arm. 

He had passed out within a couple of minutes. "Amateur." I whispered, before making sure that he wouldn't bleed out. I attached a prosthetic and realized that it was the last one we had. "Lucky son of a bitch." I told him, knowing fully that he couldn't hear me. 

"Is he going to be ok?" I heard Judith ask from behind me. I turned around, and her large round brown eyes stared back at me. 

"Well, he has to wake up. That's how we know that he's alright."


	110. Where Next?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A group sets out on a journey to find a new home for the community.

Chapter 2 (Season 11 Part 1) - Where Next?

I got straight up on my feet, as soon as I had woken up. Today was the day that a group of us would travel to Atlanta. For some strange reason, I was excited. I walked over to Negan. He was still unconscious so I put the back of my hand to his forehead. His temperature was normal, which was a good sign. I sighed and walked over to Carol, she had a scorch mark on her white hair, and her face was slightly burned, but she seemed ok. She was also still unconscious. 

I turned around but something grabbed at my leg, I turned around and Carol was looking at me. I sat down next to her. "Do I look bad?" She asked, I knew that she didn't care how she really asked, she was just trying to assess the damage. 

"No. You look awesome. Very badass." I told her. She smiled. "Does it hurt?" I asked. 

"A little bit, but I can handle it." She replied. "Ezekiel. You returned without him." She asked, there was a question playing on her lips, but I knew that she already knew the answer to that question, I just had to confirm it. 

I looked at the ground with a sad frown. "He... he sacrificed himself to save Shiva and I. Carol, he didn't want to tell you, but he had thyroid cancer. I had a tumor on his neck, and Siddiq and I didn't have enough time to figure out how to save him." I explained, she took all of the news in, and I could see tears glimmering in her eyes. They fell down her cheeks when she opened her mouth. 

"So he went out fighting? We always told each other that we wanted to go out like that." She whispered. I nodded. 

I gave her some food before getting to my feet. I walked up the stairs and was followed by Carol. We met up with everyone, and I stood next to Daryl. He smiled at me, but I could tell he was worried about Carol.

We all turned to Rick, who had a map on the table in front of him. "A group of us will-" He was cut off when he realized that we were all staring at the door to the hangar in shock. 

Morgan was standing at the entrance, with a girl that I had never seen before. He hadn't changed in the slightest. We all walked down the stairs and towards him. "This is a bit of a change of scenery." He smiled, as Rick hugged him. 

"What are you doing here?" Rick asked. The girl smiled at me, but I knew that she was someone that had a serious personality. She looked like a teenager but acted like an adult. She had blue eyes and light brown hair that fell all the way to her waist. 

"We were on our way to Alexandria when we saw you all head into this air hangar. This is Alicia, by the way. I met her on the road a while ago." He gestured to the girl. She waved awkwardly. I could tell she had been through a lot, by the way, she carried herself. I gave her a smile, before returning to Morgan. 

"We are sending a group out to go and find us a new home. We need you to stay and help out here. Is that ok?" Rick asked. Morgan nodded. 

"Alicia has some medical experience." Morgan pointed out. Alicia nodded. 

We all walked back up the stairs. "Ok, last night I worked out who should go to Atlanta. The group will be Michonne, me, Daryl, Alana, Maggie, and Carol. And if you want then I thought it would be ok if you guys took your kids." Rick explained. I raised my hand, and he nodded towards me. 

"I need to take Negan with us, because he was bitten, and I amputated his arm, I need to keep an eye on him. Also, Shiva will follow us even if we tell her to stay. So she's coming too." I told him, he smiled and nodded. We packed our things into 2 cars, and Daryl left his motorcycle at the airbase because it would be too loud and we didn't want to draw that much attention when in a large city. I helped the children into a car and waved goodbye to everyone at the airbase, before helping Shiva into the back of the car. It was a large car, that had 6 seats and a bit at the back for luggage and Shiva. 

We took another car, because, with the children, there would be 5 more people. Carol and Maggie went in the car with the children, while the rest of us went in the car with Shiva. Rick drove at the front, and I sat in the back with Daryl, and Shiva behind us. Negan was in the seat in front of me, because it would be too dangerous to put him in the same car as Maggie.

We drove out of the military base and started down the road. "Rick? How are we going to get back to Atlanta, from here?" I asked. 

"I was thinking about that too. If we go and drive past Alexandria, we should be able to drive back through the way that we got to Alexandria." He told us.

"Won't that mean we will see the old places again?"

"Yep, I thought it would be good for the kids to see how we got to where we are. Plus it will help us get supplies for when we get back to the airbase if we know where all the good spots are." 

"We're going home." 


	111. Behind Bars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group travels on the road for days, before arriving to spend the night at a long lost base, but will the old home be welcoming?

Chapter 3 (Season 11 Part 1) - Behind Bars

We had been on the road for days, and we only stopped to sleep. We had started to run out of food, but our hopes were still high. 

I started to remember the road we were on, and I knew that the kids were excited to see how it had all began, but I couldn't say the same for the adults. 

It had been a week since we had left the air hangar, and I could feel that our first pit stop was on the way.

We traveled through a forest, before finally, we made it. 

It stood in all its glory, its stone walls glistening in the sunlight. It looked cracked, and there were walkers everywhere, but it was still the prison. I smiled, but it soon disappeared when I remembered that half of the people that had once lived here, were now dead. I looked at Daryl, who was looking nostalgic, but I realized that Rick had already started walking towards the gates. I put a hand on his shoulder. "Rick, we have to clear the walkers, just like last time." I told him, he nodded. 

I scoured the area, and I could see that the walls were starting to crust now, and it had a couple of gaping holes in its buildings. 

Rick walked beside me, and I could hear the children chattering excitedly to each other. "Do you remember what we did last time to get the walkers out of here?" He asked. I nodded. We turned to the group. 

"Judith and Beth knock on the gates to get the walkers over, while Daryl and Carol shoot them from the towers. Michonne and Alana can go and protect me while I open the gates for us, and Negan, just protect the kids and Shiva. Maggie, you help Beth and Judith." Rick explained, we all nodded and got into position, for the second time in a long time. 

We opened the gate when Judith, Beth, and Maggie started drawing the walker's attention, and I stabbed a couple of the walkers away from Rick. He sprinted to the gate and pulled it open, and we all ran inside. I shut it behind us. Cellblock C stood in front of us, it looked half-destroyed but I could still see occasionally reminders that we had once called it home. The sheets in front of the cells were still hung up on the occasional cell door, and the tables we had built were still up. But the place had been raided of all supplies. We all filed into the cellblock before shutting the door behind us. We all sat down on a bench. 

"This is the prison. This is where we stayed for a year or so. Judith, your mom lived here. This is where you were born." Rick explained, Judith nodded, looking around.

I found Daryl and my cell fro ages ago, and I looked around. Everything that I had left had been taken, except for one thing. A picture of Merle, Daryl, and me when we were younger. That had been left. Lilly walked up behind me. "Who is that?" She asked. I smiled. 

"This is your uncle. Dad's brother. He was great, well, not exactly a role model, but you would have loved him, and he would have loved you." I told her, suppressing a tear or two. She put her small hand on my shoulder. 

"He looks cool. But one day I will get to see him again, so it's ok." She whispered, before walking out of the cell. I got to my knees just as Daryl came in, and I showed him the picture. He smiled. 

"Wow, that feels like forever ago." He replied I nodded in agreement. "Rick says that we are going to be staying here for a night. A break before we continue with the trip. He wanted to talk to you, by the way. He's outside I think." Daryl explained, I nodded and left my bag in the cell with Daryl before leaving the cellblock. I looked around and my eyes rested on Rick. He was standing in the old gardens, where we had buried people. But I didn't need to see to know which grave he was standing at. I walked over to him, and sure enough, the name Lori was scratched into a cross in the ground. I gasped. There were flowers that had been layed out on the graves. People had left flowers when they had passed through. A tear escaped my eye. 

"People, they... they left flowers. While we were gone." Rick whispered I put a hand on his shoulder, and a tear fell from his eye. Suddenly, he wiped it away and looked at me. "I need to show Judith this. I need to tell her all about her brother, and her mother. Her family." He told me, I nodded and left, I sent Judith outside while it started to get dark. People were starting to settle into cells, and I looked around. 

Carol was in her usual cell, RJ was sleeping in the same room as Michonne and where Rick would sleep. I searched some more and saw Negan sleeping in the cell where Merle had been locked up. I smiled to myself and rolled my eyes. I heard a soft sniffling sound and looked around. It was coming from Maggie and Glenn's cell. I knocked on the wall beside the door and when there was no answer, I entered. Hershel was fast asleep on the bunk above Maggie, but Maggie was sitting up in her bed, crying while holding a polaroid picture. I sat down next to her, and she rested her head on my shoulder. "I used to sit here with him. I miss him so much, Alana." She whispered. 

"He'd be proud of how far you have come. How far both of you have." I gestured to Hershel and she smiled and sat up straight. I hugged her one more time before leaving the room. I heard a hiss and looked around, Daryl was standing at the door to the exit, with Beth and Lilly beside him, they were all smiling. I frowned and followed them. They climbed up onto the roof, where I saw blankets and pillows laid out under the stars. I laughed. 

We tucked Beth and Lilly into their makeshift beds, before lying down. "This is the exact place where your mom and I got married. Right here, under the stars." He told them, they made disgusted faces as he pecked me on the cheek, I smiled at him. We watched as the kids fell asleep before lying under the stars together. 

"It feels like so long ago. We have been through so much now." I smiled. He nodded. "I mean when we got married, did you think that many years later, we would be back here, with two daughters?" I smiled. 

"And two missing limbs." He added. I playfully punched him in the arm, and then we hugged. We fell asleep together, once more. 

\----

When everyone had woken up, Rick handed out small packets of food for breakfast, we all sat around a bench and ate. I could feel the tension between Maggie and Negan, as we ate. So I got to my feet and ushered Negan over to check on his arm. "How does it feel?" I asked him. 

"Other than the fact that I don't have an arm anymore? Oh, it's great." He replied, sarcastically. I raised an eyebrow and gestured to both of my prosthetics. "That's fair." He nodded. We packed our things back into the cars, before looking at the prison one last time. 

"Maybe we'll come here again some day." I sighed, looking at her aged stone walls one more time, before we got back into our cars and headed down the road, towards the next stop. 


	112. Burned to the Soil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group stops at an old home, but what they find could be devastating.

Chapter 4 (Season 11 Part 1) – Burned to the Soil

We drove for longer and longer down the road, and we had to stop occasionally for Negan. His wound would sometimes make him feel nauseous, and the car journey wasn’t helping. Maggie wasn’t happy with delaying the trip for him, but we managed to persuade her to stop every now and then. She did, but reluctantly and never making eye contact with him. 

We drove to the side of the road, and the other car followed. Everyone piled out as we sat down together on the side of the road for a break. “Have we heard anything from the air hangar?” Carol asked, looking at everyone expectantly. 

“A little something now and then. Georgie brings them food every couple of days. They are doing ok, but even now there is still the rare fight that breaks out.” Rick explained. I looked at the ground and sighed, in my peripheral vision I could see the children all telling each other stories of what we had told them, about the life that had once been had on this earth. I frowned to myself when I heard them being mesmerized when Beth described what a range of animals looked like. I hoped that one day we could have pets. And if we did, they would be looked after with full love and affection. 

I dropped to my knees to check on Negan, he was warm, but not burning up, which meant his body was fighting off any infections. "Are you good?" I asked him. 

"I'm great." He replied, sarcastically. I rolled my eyes and went back to the car to grab his painkillers, but I stopped when they were empty.   


"Negan, I told you not to take all of them! Now you will have to wait until you find some more." I sighed, I wasn't annoyed because it was him that would have to deal with the lack of painkillers. I had lost two limbs without painkillers. 

"Where next?" Daryl asked Rick. We walked over to where Rick was searching a map of where we were going. 

"We can head down this road, through the forest, and make a brief stop there, but I'm not sure. I doubt it will still be in good shape after what happened when we left it." Rick explained, he spoke quietly while keeping an eye on Maggie.    
  


"We should try, I know that Hershel kept a stash of medicine underneath some floorboards, it might be useful in getting those." I replied, he nodded and everyone climbed back into the cars. We drove towards the farm. 

\----

We had to get out because the cars wouldn't be able to get through the trees, and it was dangerous to try and find a way around, plus we probably wouldn't be there for long as there wouldn't be much left from the fire and walkers. We journeyed through the forest and I stopped in my tracks, staring at the bloody bear trap on the ground. That was where I had got my leg stuck when saving Carl, and I had needed it to be cut off. 

"Ew! What is that?" Beth asked. 

"That's where I lost my leg." I replied I saw Daryl frown to himself before we carried on. Finally, we made it out of the trees. It was a dismal sight, nonetheless. The farmhouse was burned to the ground, there was only the floor and foundation left, but the barn still stood tall. 

Maggie paused in her steps and stared emotionally at was her childhood home. I put a hand on her shoulder and she looked at me appreciatively, before walking off towards the house. There were no walkers around, which was strange. 

"Who do you think cleared the walkers?" I asked. 

"Probably just survivors that thought they could turn this place back into a home, but they thought it was too destroyed by the time they actually managed to clear out. Anyway, everyone fan out, and look for supplies. It doesn't look like we will be staying the night here." Rick explained, everyone nodded and we spread out across the scorched farm. 

I made my way over to the wreckage of the house, where Hershel and Beth were talking to each other, which made me smile. "Hey, you two." I waved. Hershel was the same age as Beth, which made it even more adorable. 

Then a thought occurred to me in my mind. "Has Maggie told either of you about who you were both named after?" I asked. 

"Mom told me a little bit about my Grandad, but not a lot." Hershel replied, I nodded, and I already knew that Beth knew about her non-biological auntie.

"Ok, I won't go beyond her boundaries, but I will say that Hershel was a great man and a legend that should be remembered forever, he saved all of our lives so many times, and if it weren't for him saving our lives, you two wouldn't be alive." I smiled thinking about the old days, but then I was brought back to reality. I sighed and walked around through the rubble. The floorboards were still intact, which was lucky, so I walked around to where the kitchen would be and started to pull up the floorboards until finally, I found a small wrapped up parcel. I undid the strings and finally, I saw it. There was so much medicine, along with a note. I looked at who it was addressed to and a gasp escaped my lips. It was to Beth and Maggie. It must have been written before this all happened. 

I put the parcel in my bag and walked over to Maggie. I handed over the letter. "I found it under the floorboards with the medicine. I'll let you read it alone." I told her, I gave her an encouraging smile before walking away. I saw Carol kneeling on the ground near the barn and walked over to her. I knelt down beside her. 

"It's been so long since I have seen her face. But she's still so vivid." She whispered, not looking up from the ground. There was only a slight hint of a bloodstain on the ground, where her daughter had fallen so many years ago. It would have been washed away. 

"I remember her. She was such a kind child." I replied, Carol smiled and nodded. 

"Daryl gave me a Cherokee rose when she passed away. I walked to her grave as soon as we got here, and you should see it. There are so many of the roses growing on the grave. It's beautiful. It helps me know that she's resting now. At peace." Carol explained. I nodded as she wiped away a tear and got to her feet. I followed. "I wonder if she has met Henry yet." She thought to herself. 

"Yeah, they would have got on so well." I smiled, she nodded in agreement. We took one last look at where Sophia's final resting place was, before moving to the centre of the farm where everyone was waiting. I saw that Maggie had been crying, and she still held the letter in her hand. I gave her a smile but she was too lost in her own thoughts to notice. 

"We should head this way now. Is everyone done here?" Rick asked, looking around. I nodded, Maggie was hesitant but nodded, and I knew that she it was painful for her to leave this place once again, but I knew that she knew this place was full of ghosts now. We packed up and made our way back to the cars. When we were moving in the cars again, I turned to Negan. 

"Negan, I got some more medicine, but I am going to ask Maggie if I should use them to help you. Seeing as they were from her father." I told him, he nodded, and I knew that he regretted his actions from so long ago, and a part of me forgave him, but the other part of me knew that his regret wouldn't bring them back. 

"Maggie, I don't mind your answer, but can Negan have some of the medicine that your father hid under the floorboards." I spoke into the walkie talkie. There was no delay in the reply.

"It was his medicine, and he didn't hold grudges, so yes. He can have some." Maggie replied. I knew that Negan would refuse the medicine out of guilt at first, but with some persuasion, I managed to get him to take some. 

I looked to the front of the car, and saw Rick laughing with Michonne. It was such a happy sight contrasted to what had happened today. The happiness was a massive relief from the painful sadness of being back at the farm, where everything had once been so calm. Before our family had started to lose member after member. 

When we were all still together. 


	113. Long Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group makes their way closer and closer to Atlanta. But will anything stand in their way?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay in recent chapters, I will try and continue with a regular schedule for the future chapters. :)

Chapter 5 (Season 11 Part 1) - Long Gone

We hadn't been driving for that long before we reached that familiar road. There was the occasional walker, but not many. We had heard some of the walkers coming away from where Princess had set up her boomers so that was our wake up call to get moving faster. 

We took out a couple of supplies to eat and drink and sat down on the curb of the road. But I did not sit down. 

"Alana? Is everything ok?" Daryl asked, getting up and standing beside me in a protective stance. But I pointed to the car. It was the car that we had left in case Sophia had found her way back. She hadn't and therefore it rendered the car useless. Until now. The paint had almost been completely rubbed off, but you could still make out the word Sophia. There was a cardboard cutout with some writing on.

"We had to take the supplies but we will come back and place more." Rick read aloud. There was a number of those messages written all over the cardboard, meaning that many survivors had used it as a stop-off point. And now that would be us. There was a crate that we had used to place the supplies in, and now there was a wide range of vegetables, fruits, and even a couple of chocolate bars that children could split between them. 

"She saved so many." Carol whispered. "If she hadn't run away, then we wouldn't have put this here, and people wouldn't have seen it." She explained. We took the supplies and wrote another note on the cardboard with a nearby pen. We would come back and refill it on the way home from Atlanta. 

We packed the supplies into both cars. As the others did this, I walked over to where the children were playing with Shiva. "Hey. How is everyone?" I asked, making sure they were all ok. 

"Yeah." They all replied, but Lilly and RJ looked at me curiously. 

"Why is the car over there so special?" They asked, I smiled and sat down. 

"It's special because one day, a long time ago, way before you guys were here, we had a group. A different group. In this group, there was me and Daryl, who obviously you both know, and Rick, Carol, who at the time was married to a very bad man called Ed, but he passed away earlier on. There were more people in the group. Shane, Rick's best friend, but he died back at the farm. Andrea, who Beth would have liked, had a strong heart but sometimes it wasn't in the right place. Did you know she once shot your Daddy? But it's ok she did it by accident. Anyway, there was Lori, Rick's wife, before Michonne, and before all of the walkers, they got married. High school sweethearts-" I was interrupted, as people started to sit around to listen in.

I smiled and carried on. "Lori was Judith's mommy. There was a man called Dale, he was very clever and also very wise. A lot like an owl. He had his morals, and they were good morals, but some of them just didn't fit in, in a world like this. There was Glenn. He was a good friend of mine, and this was before he had met Maggie and had little Hershel, he was very brave, and he cared strongly about those around him, he helped protect us, and he made it all the way to Alexandria with us. There was T-Dog, who was brave and strong, but he died so that Carol didn't have to. And then there was Merle. Ah, Merle. That's Daryl's brother. You either hated Merle or you loved him, he liked to laugh and joke around, but sometimes that endangered others. I grew up with him and Daryl, way before all of the walkers. But sadly, he didn't make it past the prison. There was Andrea's sister, Amy, who was a lot like you Lilly. She was kind and confident, and her heart was in the right place, just like her sister. But she passed away when this all started. Then there were the children. Carl, Lori, and Rick's son and Judith's big brother. He was very brave, just like his dad, and he was kind just like his mom. He died helping someone else. Siddiq. And then there was a little girl. Her name was Sophia. She was Carol's daughter. She was a survivor way before the walkers, just like her mommy. She was so kind and caring, she was good friends with Carl. We were on this road, heading to Fort Bennet when a herd of walkers stopped us, and we had to hide under the cars. Carl and Sophia hid under a car together, as the walker walked by. But we had all been separated. I was with T-dog who had hurt himself, and Daryl. But just as we thought that the walkers had all gone, two of them pulled Sophia out from under the car. And we tried to save her. She went missing for days. And then, well, we went to the farm. And that's where we found her." I finished. I could see that everyone was listening in now and that it had started to turn dark. Some of the adults had the occasional hint of tears lingering in their eyes, and I didn't blame them. I sighed, thinking of the old days when everything was less confusing.

"Was she ok?" RJ asked. I looked over at Carol, unsure of how to reply. She shook her head at RJ, and he nodded. It was silent for a couple of minutes before Beth broke the silence with a huge yawn that made us all laugh. 

"She's right. We should all get some sleep. We will continue the trip in the morning. We're getting closer and closer, people." Rick explained. We all packed up and headed into the cars. I kissed the children good night, before heading over to the other car. Everyone was starting to drift off, and I climbed in quietly next to Daryl. He leaned against the door, so I led down and rested my head in his lap. He stroked my forehead comfortingly and I fell asleep with his gaze on me, smiling.


	114. As The Fire Burns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group makes one last stop before making it to Atlanta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the penultimate chapter of the first half, so I hope you enjoy it! It's going to start to get more action-packed from here.

Chapter 6 (Season 11 Part 1) - As The Fire Burns

We continued hurtling down the road, and the sun had just started to rise. I knew that we were very close to Atlanta by now because I recognized the area. I had driven down here when I had taken a gap year from studying to go on a road trip with best friend, at the time, Lilly. But that felt like a lifetime ago now. 

Rick suddenly started to drive slower, and I looked up from watching Daryl clean his crossbow. I gasped, I saw the CDC. Except it was completely burned to the ground, and it was now only made of broken stone and the occasional glass shard. Walkers were roaming all around, and it didn't look safe enough to search around. It was a horrific sight to see, as there were so many walkers, some had trapped a limb under a stone and were now ripping free, leaving the limb behind. Others had brains hanging out from their skull, from possible head trauma. I picked up my walkie talkie in a flash. 

"Maggie, make sure to drive on the other side of us so that the kids don't see this." I told her. 

"Will do." She replied, and she drove up next to us. I waved to the kids, pretending as if there was nothing behind me that was particularly disturbing, but Judith was very observant and I knew that she had seen a couple of things. She gave me a knowing look, that made her look scarily like Carl or Rick, before turning back and smiling at Beth innocently. We drove past the CDC, pretending it wasn't there. 

The road blurred together as we picked up speed, and Michonne turned around to us to look at Negan, who was sitting behind us, looking back at the CDC curiously. 

"Negan, don't tell the kids. They don't need to see that. Especially RJ and Lilly." She told him. I nodded. He looked at us incredulously, with a hint of a smile on his face.

"You have to trust me! I know they are your kids and all, I don't want to overstep any boundaries, and I want you to know that I would never talk to kids about that kind of stuff. I'm not as sick as you think." He replied. I raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed. I smiled and turned back around to Daryl, who was talking to Rick. 

Everyone went silent when we suddenly saw it. The city skyline. Reaching up for the sky, still as tall and proud as it had ever been. A tear appeared in my eye as I saw Atlanta like an old friend. 

"There it is. We're going make one stop-off point before we get there though. There's just one thing I want to do. Maggie, follow me." Rick explained, he spoke both to us and the other car, through the walkie talkie. I smiled at Daryl, and he put an arm around me. 

We drove around Atlanta and up a familiar hill and down a road before we found it. It was only an area of grass, with trees around and the occasional tent that we had left there in case we came back. I thought someone would have taken the things we left behind, but the location must have been too far away from anyone else. There were darker patches of grass from where the old camp and group had parked their vehicles, like Glenn's car, Shane's cop car, and Dale's RV. 

Rick parked his car in place of Dale's RV and Maggie parked in Glenn's spot. "Does she know that's where Glenn parked?" I asked Rick, leaning over the seat that separated us. He shook his head. I noticed we were both smiling when we got out. And I looked up to see that the stars were out already and the sky was dark. Everyone filed out and we formed a circle to talk. 

"Mommy, why are we here?" Lilly asked, looking around confused. I smiled at her. 

"This is where it all began. We all met up here." I told her. 

"We're going to stay here for the night before getting into Atlanta because the city won't be safe at night. The tents are safe, trust us, we stayed in them for a few months without getting bitten, so surely we can survive the night. But someone will stay awake on watch. Who volunteers? I don't mind doing it." Rick explained. A couple of us raised our hands as people were tired from the drive over. "Ok, you guys can watch." He replied. I had put my hand up, along with Carol.

We sat on the deck chairs that had been left over by the fire, and talked for a while, before we were joined by Daryl, then later Rick. 

"Hey, look, we're all here." I smiled. 

"We're the ones that survived. Out of everyone here." Carol gestured around the camp, with a frown. 

"Not a day goes by when I don't miss sitting around the fire all together. With Lori holding Carl, and Dale telling some story that none of us were truly listening to. With Shane on watch and Sophia colouring in a picture she had drawn. We would be eating something Daryl caught. It feels like so long ago." Rick sighed.

"They'd be proud. Everyone single one of them. Of how far we've come." Daryl reassured them.

"It's not over yet." I pointed to a mysterious blinking light in Atlanta.


	115. Light in the Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group makes their way into Atlanta, but what will they find in the lost city?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the midseason finale, and I will probably post the next chapter later on in the day. :)

Chapter 7 (Season 11 Part 1) - Light in the Darkness

I woke up, with the familiar pain in my back that I had felt so long ago. The stones pushed through the tent floor, but it was all made better when I looked around. Next to me, Daryl was still sleeping and so were the girls. I smiled to myself and kissed Daryl on his forehead, to wake him up. He smiled. 

The kids woke up with the unfamiliar smell of something cooking. So they bounded out of the tents and towards us. After everyone had eaten, we packed up and got into the cars. I took one last look at the camp, waved and we drove away. 

"Never thought someone could miss a patch of grass that much." Negan spoke up, as we made our way towards Atlanta. 

"You wouldn't know." Daryl replied, without looking at Negan. 

We drove into the city, and it looked like a ghost town. Some of the buildings were destroyed or burned from when they dropped bombs on the city. There were numerous walkers stumbling around, and all of the buildings that weren't destroyed were now broken from people raiding and looking for supplies. The stone was crumbling off the buildings dangerously. It didn't look good. 

"Well. The road trip was fun. I guess that's that." Negan sighed. Shiva purred next to him. I looked forwards until we drove past my apartment building. It still stood tall, but not necessarily glamorous. Only Daryl knew the significance of that building, and I wanted to keep our secret. I smiled at him. 

"Hey, look. This is the spot where I got hit by a van." I laughed, pointing out the window. 

"I do not remember it being funny." Daryl smiled. 

"It does sound like something you would do." Rick replied I could hear the smile in his voice. We laughed, before getting out of the car to talk to Maggie. But we froze. There was a woman holding an assault rifle to Maggie's forehead, and Beth was aiming her gun at the woman. 

"Woah." I whispered, I walked closer, slowly, but the woman aimed the gun at me, nervously. She had dark skin, and short curly hair, she wore round glasses and a lab coat on. 

"Are you alone?" Rick asked, with his hands up, and he was using the voice that showed whoever he was talking to that he was in charge, but it was still kind and gentle. 

"Why?" She asked, cautiously. 

"I would say that we have children, but we don't know what other families are like in the apocalypse." Carol laughed, she was doing the thing where she would laugh to break the tension with people she doesn't know and to get them to surrender so that we could assess the situation. Very clever. But the woman was smarter. 

"I know what you're doing." She replied, shuffling nervously. I looked at the name tag on her lab coat, and it dawned on me.

"You're Stephanie. Eugene used to talk about you all the time. I hardly listened, because I thought you weren't real. Huh, well the more you know I guess." I smiled. 

"Eugene. You know him?" She asked, there was now a tint of hopefulness in her voice. 

"Yes. We are the leaders of the group he is in. We are looking for a new home because our's was just destroyed." Rick explained.

"That will be why he isn't replying to me." Stephanie whispered to herself, erratically. She looked back at us. "Yes, I can help you. Very much." She smiled as if it was an inside joke. We carefully followed her into an abandoned factory and up a flight of stairs, tightly gripping our weapons in case it was a trap. 

"I see you are cautious people." She told us, a smile in her voice. 

"We've been through a lot, can you blame us?" Maggie replied, no smile in her voice. We gathered around a circular table, that was covered by a sheet. Everything else in the room was empty. 

"What? I'm not going to show you my workspace when I hardly know you!" She said, looking at us, curiously. We looked back at the table and she ripped off the sheet., revealing a model of Atlanta. Except it was a new Atlanta. All of the buildings looked better than they did before the walkers, and there was even a train system. There were huge walls surrounding the city, and it looked like, by the arrows going outwards, that she planned on expanding the city, as more people came in. It looked like there were electricity lines, and people putting out the laundry. It looked serene, in a way that I had only remembered long ago. 

"And you were planning on building this all by yourself?" Negan asked, breaking the silence. 

"Yes, but now that there are people, I won't have to." She replied. 

"Can I?" Rick gestured to the table. She nodded. Rick rearranged the figures so that there was instead of laundry lines, and people driving to and from work, there was a shooting range, and people practicing their aim. There were spikes on the walls, and it looked more like a community fit for the apocalypse. There were no electricity lines, and instead, there was a working plumbing system, that gave us hot water and water to drink. There was a farm area, instead of restaurants and cafe's, leaving space for more people to be accommodated, and more space for people to practice shooting in case we were raided. But it still looked like home. I noticed that the old camp had been added to the map, which made me smile. 

"Ok, now it looks less like a fairytale, and more realistic." Negan laughed, earning glares from multiple people. 

"So can you build this?" Rick asked. She nodded. 

"But I need your help."


	116. The New Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group brings over the community to begin construction of their new home, but will anyone be lost on the way?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this half of the season is going to be an emotional rollercoaster. :)

Chapter 1 (Season 11 Part 2) - The New Future

I watched as Rick raised the walkie talkie. "Hello? This is Rick Grimes." I raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Just in case." He replied, before looking back at the walkie talkie. 

"Rick! I hope it's good news, we've not had a lot of that lately." Morgan's voice replied over the walkie talkie. 

"We can catch up when you get to your new home." Rick replied. There was a delayed response. 

"I knew you could do it, Rick. We're on our way." There was a smile in Morgan's voice and smile on Rick's face. 

I made my way down the stairs and stopped when I saw Negan sitting on a bench, stroking Shiva. I sat down next to him.

"How is it?" I asked, gesturing to his prosthetic. 

"It's good. I don't feel the pain anymore." He replied, he suddenly looked me in the eye. "Thank you, Alana." I was taken aback by how genuine he was being. He looked back down at Shiva. 

"Are you ok?" I asked him, worried about his sudden change of character. 

"Great. Haven't eaten any good food in years." He went back to his usual sarcasticness and I smiled, and sighed, before getting to my feet. I walked out of the building to where Maggie and Daryl were talking. 

"Alana! We're all heading out to different parts of Atlanta, to clear some walkers." Maggie told me. I saw the rest of the group had been put into separate groups for different areas. I nodded, and we all head off in a random direction. I was walking with Daryl and Maggie, and Hershel and Beth, who were talking behind us. 

"Maggie. Did you ever come to the city? Because Daryl came to the city even though he didn't live here." I asked her curiously. 

"Yeah, I wonder why he came to the city." She smiled, I looked over at Daryl and noticed that he had the cutest red spreading on his cheeks. 

I laughed, "Daryl. We're married! You don't have to be embarrassed, I already knew that you didn't come to the city, just to get weed for your brother." He smiled. I looked back at Maggie. 

"I used to come here with-" She stopped dead in her tracks, looking at what was ahead of us in despair. I gasped. Grady Memorial Hospital was standing, not exactly proudly, in front of us. I sighed. There were still walkers around it, meaning we had to clear the area. 

"Ready?" I asked them, swallowing the lump in my throat. We hesitated before heading into the hospital. We made our way down the corridors, being reminded of one of the worst memories in my head. 

"This is scary." Beth told us, looking at the hospital's walls. I brought her closer to me, and Maggie brought Hershel closer to her. Daryl picked Beth up, in case any walkers came around out of nowhere. 

"Weren't there people here?" I whispered, remembering how they had kept me captive here. 

"I guess it didn't work out for them." I could hear the hatred in Maggie's voice, but as she turned a corner into another room, the hatred was replaced by shock, and she covered her nose and her son's eyes. I put a hand over Beth's eyes before I poked my head into the room. I gasped covering my nose just as Maggie had. There were all the cops and patients of Grady Memorial Hospital, except they were hanging from ropes tied to the ceiling. They were all walkers now. I watched as Maggie quickly ran around the room, stabbing them all so that they were no longer walkers. 

"We should get out of here." I told them. But Maggie held up something. A note. She walked over to us. 

"It says, This is what happens when you disobey the Knights of the Dead." Maggie read aloud, as we walked out of the hospital. 

"The Knights of the Dead? Sounds like a bad rock band." I whispered, trying to lighten the mood. I could see it didn't work so I tried a new method. "It's ok, whoever they were, it smells as though they are long gone now." I explained. They nodded and we cleared some walkers before heading home.


	117. Getting There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-construction has begun.

Chapter 2 (Season 11 Part 2) - Getting There

It had been two weeks since the hospital incident. There were now makeshift walls up around a small area, and the community from the air hangar was now here with us. They had arrived a week before and the people from Texas were starting to become vital in the community. It made me happy to see everyone working together. 

I saw Rosita leaning against a wall smiling, so I walked over to her. She looked at me then pointed at something. "Look." She sounded like she was suppressing a laugh. I followed her gaze and my sight landed on Eugene and Stephanie talking. "They've been avoiding each other for the last couple of weeks, I asked him why, and he denied it. So they're finally meeting. But beware, it is awkward." She explained. I nodded.

"When is it no awkward, with Eugene?" I asked. She laughed. 

"They are awkward together, but somehow, they just feel like they're meant to be, you know?" She had a proud smile on her now, and I nodded. I left them to their peace and walked towards my old apartment building. It had been cleaned up a bit and now served as one of the accommodation buildings. 

I climbed the stairs, once again, until I reached my old apartment. I stepped in, and instantly smiled. Daryl was sitting on the edge of the bed, and the girls were coloring in pictures. I noticed how Judith was there, and talking to Beth and Hershel. Lilly was drawing a picture for RJ. 

I sat down next to Daryl. "Hey." He whispered, careful not to draw attention from the bouncy children. 

"Hey, so I just saw Eugene and Stephanie finally meeting." I told him. He smiled.

"Finally." He sighed. I laughed, before looking at him, I touched his hair, before he looked at me curiously. 

"I'm just wondering how long its been since you had a shower." I smiled. He rolled his eyes jokingly. 

"I don't need a shower." He replied. I removed my hand from his hair and I tightly hugged him, after a while, we broke apart and he looked at me. 

"What was that about?" He asked, confused at the spontaneous hug. 

"I just wanted to hug you, before we get back to work." I smiled. Just as I said that my walkie talkie turned on. 

"Hello! Please can everyone come to my office to start construction plans." It was Stephanie, her voice was shaky as if she had just had an awkward encounter. I smiled to myself before getting to my feet. 

"Judith, we have to go and do some work now. Can you look after everyone?" I asked her. She nodded. 

Just as we were about to leave, I backtracked and turned back to Judith. I took out my walkie talkie and gave it to her. "Use this if there is an emergency." I told her. She raised her eyebrows, and I sighed. "Promise me." 

"I promise." She replied, taking the walkie talkie. I smiled, before Daryl and I left for the first task. 


	118. Tasks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan is explained, and the first task for the future begins.

Chapter 3 (Season 11 Part 2) - The First Task

We met everyone in our group at the office, where Stephanie stood at the front. She looked nervous in front of everyone, but I saw in my peripheral vision, as Eugene smiled at her and she suddenly looked more confident. 

"Ok, hello everyone. So, uh, I am going to now explain to you, my plan for building Atlanta back up. There are three tasks that need to be completed in order to start construction. The first task is to gather people. But you have already done that, we have enough for construction. The next task is to gather wood and other building materials, this includes the equipment that we need as well. So that will be the first task that we need to do. Uh, Rick, this is your department now." She stepped aside awkwardly, and Rick took her place. He took out a map of the area surrounding the city and placed it down on the table. 

"Ok, so we are going to need different groups in different places. We've done this before so it won't be that hard. The first group will be Daryl, Michonne, Carol and I. Then Maggie, Rosita and Aaron, you guys will go to this area. The next group will be Eugene, Yumiko, and Jerry. Then Magna, Connie, and Alicia. Then it will Lydia, Morgan and Kelly. And the last group will be Alana, Gabriel, and Negan. No one takes Shiva with you though, I don't want to risk her life, just for a simple search mission like this. Now, here, Stephanie and I worked on these maps for you all, and I've circled the areas for your group." Rick explained, he handed out maps, and I took ours. Negan and Gabriel picked up their bags and weapons, and I did the same. I walked up to Daryl. 

"Hey, be safe." I told him. He smiled. 

"When am I not?" He replied. I raised an eyebrow. 

"Um, like never?" I replied, he laughed, kissed me on the cheek before we separated into our groups. Gabriel, Negan and I walked out of the southern side of the city, towards a circled abandoned farm. 

It was awkward, but Negan broke the silence. "I remember the first time I met both of you." He said out of nowhere. I looked at the ground uncomfortably. 

"Yeah, and I know that one of them was better than the other." I replied, trying to not remember what happened the night I first saw Negan. He moved past the subject, to Gabriel and his first meeting. 

"You know, Gabriel walked up on me out of nowhere. Terrified the shit out of me." Negan sighed. I heard a subtle chuckle from Gabriel and smiled. 

I started to see the farm in the distance, which meant we were getting closer. "Hey, did anyone bring their walkie talkie? I left mine with Judith, in case of an emergency."I asked. 

"Nope never got given one." Negan replied. I sighed and looked over at Gabriel. 

"I didn't think we would need one. We aren't that far from the city, I'm sure everyone's fine." He reassured me and I nodded. We walked onto the field. I pulled out my sword in case anything jumped me out of nowhere. I suddenly saw a walker and got ready to kill it, but as it walked towards me, it suddenly exploded with a deafening bang. 

"What the-" Negan began, but the cold flush of realization hit me like it had hit the walker, seconds before its death. 

"Don't. Move." I told them. They both froze, unaware of what they were standing on. 

I looked at the dirt around us, and sure enough, every now and then, I could see a little bit of metal poking out of the soil. 

"We're stuck in a minefield."


	119. Explosives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The small group is stuck in a minefield, but can it get worse?

Chapter 4 (Season 11 Part 2) - Explosives

They looked at me with shock. None of us moved a muscle. Until I heard familiar growls from behind me. Automatically, without thinking, I turned around, and then realizing what I had done, I braced myself for impact, but it never came. I could hear that both of the men behind me had stopped breathing too.

"Are you both ok?" I asked not wanting to turn around. 

"Maybe you should look at what's in front of you, then ask yourself that question." Negan replied. I looked at where we had come from and gasped. There tons of walkers coming at us. They hadn't reached the field yet, but when they did, the more explosions, the more walkers would be drawn to us. 

"Well shit." I whispered. We were stuck in a minefield, with a herd of walkers walking towards us. 

Suddenly one of the walkers stepped onto the field and instantly got catapulted into the air, by a sudden explosion. More walkers appeared from the trees. 

"Fuck it. I know what I have to do." I heard Negan say. I span around on the spot, hesitating to put the walkers behind me, and I saw Negan sprinting towards the abandoned farmhouse. He left a trail of footsteps, and I watched, not breathing. 

I gasped for air, the second Negan hit the safe ground. He waved at us. "It's safe! Follow my footsteps!" He shouted over to us. We nodded, and I gestured for Gabriel to go first. He nodded and ran towards Negan. I turned around and gasped. The walkers were in touching distance. I stabbed one of them in the head, before sprinting down the path. I heard explosions behind me, but I ignored it and focused on where I was stepping. Finally, I made it out and ran over to Gabriel and Negan. We were all breathless, partly from the run, but mainly from the adrenaline. 

"Are you both ok?" I asked them. They both nodded, not able to speak. After we had finally steadied our breathing, I looked up. "It never ends." I sighed. The walkers were getting closer. They were almost within touching difference now. 

"Run to the house!" I shouted, pointing at the farmhouse. We ran in, Negan pulled the door open, and we bordered it shut with as much force as we could. Gabriel and I pushed as much furniture against the door as we could, while Negan started on the windows. 

After we had finished securing the building, I looked out the gap in one of the windows. There were walkers everywhere. Their bloody hands reaching out to grab out any part of us that they could. I sighed and sat down on a dusty chair. I hadn't looked at where we were. We were sat in a small room, that was dark and had cobwebs everywhere. The entire house gave off an eerie vibe. 

"Shit. This is one scary house." Negan whispered, poking around.

"Negan, don't touch anything you don't know whats on it. There could be all sorts of diseases in this house, and there is a high chance we don't have the medicine to treat them." I explained. He sighed and sat down next to Gabriel, who was rubbing his temples methodically. 

"You all right there, Gabe?" Negan asked. 

"Yes. I'm just thinking of how we are going to get out." He stood up and started pacing. "We don't have any way of contacting the others so we are on our own. There are, what, 200 walkers outside. And we don't know anything about whats in this house. I think the first thing we should do is check the house for anything. And I mean anything. Food, supplies, a way out..." He explained. I nodded and got to my feet. Negan followed. 

"I'll check the upstairs. Negan you check downstairs, and Gabriel, you watch the door." I told them. They nodded. I took out my knife in one hand and my sword in the other, and made my way up the stairs, it creaked painfully beneath my feet. 

I made it onto the landing, and I picked up a small match and struck it against the wall, as there was no light whatsoever. I held it close and walked carefully down the corridor. I found a door, but I lowered the match to the lock, to check. Was it locked? I pulled my sleeve over my hand and used the doorknob, but it didn't open the door. I sighed and kicked down the door. It flew open with a loud creak. 

"Is everything ok up there?" I heard Gabriel's voice. 

"Yeah! I just unlocked a door that's all." I replied. I walked into the room, my senses heightened. It felt like a horror film. Suddenly, something grabbed onto my shoulder and I let out a shriek. I span around and sank the knife into its skull. Its grip on me loosened and it fell to the floor with a thud. There were some footsteps and Negan entered the room, holding a lighted lantern. 

"You ok?" He asked. I nodded, blowing out the match, as the light from the lantern was enough to see the entire room. I looked at what I had killed, and sure enough, a walker lay on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding it. 

"Maybe we should do a room at a time, and together." I suggested, I hadn't felt fear like this in a long time. Negan nodded, and we searched the entire house. After finding not even a single morsel of anything, we made our way back to Gabriel. 

"Anything?" He asked, hopeful. 

"Nope. Nei. Nyet. Absolutely nothing." Negan replied. We sighed and sat down on some chairs. I held down a lighted match to the furnace to light the room up with warmth. The light illuminated the room, and I realized it was starting to get dark outside.

"How long have we been in here?" I asked. 

"Hours." Gabriel replied. I got to my feet and checked through the window. Every single walker was still outside. They must have heard our voices. They both looked at me expectantly waiting for some good news but I shook my head. 

"They are all still out there." I whispered, careful this time. 

Would we ever get out of here?"


	120. Halo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will they make it out of there, or will the hunger take over?

Chapter 5 (Season 11 Part 2) - Halo

It had been days. And the only way I knew that was because Gabriel had a watch on him. The walkers were losing interest. But extremely slowly. At the start there were 200, now there were at least 150 outside. 

We hadn't brought any food with us. So the hunger was setting in, harder than ever before. 

"Why haven't they come for us yet? They knew where we were going. Surely they would have noticed our absence." Negan whispered. None of us could speak normally, because of the walkers, but mainly because we hadn't had a drink in days. I lay on the ground, past caring of anything potentially dangerous, and I could no longer focus on anything but the weakness in my bones and the sharp pains in my stomach. 

"They wouldn't be able to get through the minefield, we don't have a lot of weapons left, and they know that we can do this. We just have to wait. Maybe there's something going on over there as well." Gabriel replied. 

"Always the optimist." I told him. He chuckled. 

"Gabriel, do you remember when we first found you? You were so different back then." I whispered. 

"I remember. The church." He sounded sad, a distant memory, that haunted him to this day. 

"Tell me. Anything to get my mind off the absence of anything in my stomach." Negan sighed. We all groaned as that made our stomach grumble. "Sorry!" He laughed, weakly. 

"The group had escaped some cannibals at a place called Terminus. Carol blew them all up. What a badass." I started.

"She is a badass." Gabriel smiled. I laughed, as it was rare to hear him say things like that. 

"We were walking, unsure of where to go next, when we heard a strange cry coming from the trees. We followed it. And a vicar was scrambling away from some walkers, on a rock." I explained. 

Gabriel sighed, embarrassed. And Negan chuckled. "I remember, we saved him. And he was so cautious about us." 

"Well, a lot of you were covered in blood." Gabriel explained.

"That is true. But anyway, when we killed the walkers for you. You threw up, all over us. Took a while to get the smell out, but it was ok because you gave us shelter in your church." I explained, smiling over at Gabriel, thankfully. 

"More than I could do for others." He sighed. 

"Gabriel, it's not your fault. You were scared." I told him, slowly sitting up. 

"What?" Negan asked, curiously. I shook my head at Negan, but Gabriel raised his hand. 

"Its ok. Right at the start, my church. I was hiding in my church like a coward. My people, they were trying to get in, escape from some walkers. But I was too afraid. I didn't let them in. They came to me. The lord. Looking for safety, and a place to call home. And I took that from them. And I will never forgive myself for that." He explained. 

There was silence for a couple of minutes, I watched Gabriel carefully, making sure he was ok. Until I saw something change in his eyes. 

"I know what to do. But you may not like it." He got up to his feet, almost falling over but catching himself. I used a table for balance and Negan and I both got to our feet, watching him, half with curiosity and half with worry. 

"You two go. I've got this." He picked up his weapon and walked to the door.   
  


"Gabriel? What are you doing?" I asked, noticing the shakiness in my legs. 

He looked back at me, with something different in his eyes. "I need to do this. If this is the last thing I do, then surely, I can be forgiven. And you two will live, to surely save some more people. And the cycle continues. I am going to distract the walkers, you should run through, as fast as you can to safety." He explained. 

"Gabe, don't do this. We can think of another way." Negan warned. 

But Gabriel just looked back at us with a calm smile. "There is no other way. Tell Rosita that... that I love her." He said, with one last smile, he wrenched the door open. "Over here!" He shouted to the walkers, walking away from us and towards a corner of the room as the walkers piled in. I noticed a gap in the walkers. But my eyes wouldn't move from Gabriel. 

"No." I whispered in horror as the walkers surrounded Gabriel. Negan pulled me out of my trance and we ran out of the house in a hurry, we ran around the minefield, dodging any potential explosions, until we collapsed onto the safe ground. I looked back at the house, tears in my eyes. The house had been completely overrun.

"He's in a better place. And I mean it, Alana. He got his redemption. We have to get back home." Negan got to his feet. I tried to follow, but my legs were too weak and shaky. 

"I... can't." I tried to balance on my prosthetic but my head was too heavy for me to balance properly. I fell back to the ground with a thud. "Shit." The walkers had noticed we were here and had started to make their way over for some potential fresh meat. "Leave me." I told Negan. He looked at me.

"No. I'm not losing two people in one day. Come on." He hoisted me up in his arms, and he carried me, running towards Atlanta. 

"How are you doing this?" I asked him. He shrugged. 

"So that Gabriel's last fight wasn't in vain." He replied. We made it to the makeshift gate at Atlanta, and Negan placed me on the ground. He collapsed next to me, breathless. "We're so close." He whispered. 

And with that, the gate opened. 

We had made it.


	121. The Lab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They remember the lost. And start the final task.

Chapter 6 (Season 11 Part 2) - The Lab Facility

I watched as Daryl and a group rushed out. Daryl sprinted over to me, and he held my head in his hands. I must have looked terrible because he started crying. I touched his face, and he picked me up in his arms, carrying me without a word. 

"Daryl?" I wanted, needed, to hear his voice. 

"You were gone. We tried to come after you. After you had been missing, but when we went to the farmhouse you weren't there. We must have gone to the wrong one." He explained. 

He carried me over to one of a bed in the makeshift hospital room. There were only two beds in there, but we were starting to make it more equipped for the community. 

He sat down next to me, as Eugene grabbed some food from the kitchen. Negan was in the bed opposite. "Did everyone manage to get enough equipment and material for the build?" I asked Daryl, hopefully. 

He gave a weak smile and nodded. "Yeah, she's got one more thing for us to do before we start." He told me. 

"What's that?" I asked. 

"Well, she said that she will be giving it to us directly. Just us two, but I can tell her no. If you're not well enough to do it." He explained. 

I looked at him with the strongest smile I could muster, and he chuckled. "I'm fine, once I have food in my system, we can go. What are we doing anyway?" I asked him.

"Stephanie says that the main blueprints for the buildings are in an abandoned lab facility, she says it will be easy enough for us to get them. The only thing is that it's overrun by walkers. She doesn't know how many. But she thinks we can do it." He explained. 

"Sounds like we can." I smiled, as Eugene brought over some food. Negan and I devoured it in seconds, so he went off to get some more. I could already feel myself getting stronger. I noticed that Daryl was looking at Negan, in a different way. 

"Negan." He said, getting Negan's attention. He looked at Daryl, they hadn't spoken in a long time, and they were still on bad terms. Or so I thought. "Thank you. For saving her." He told Negan. I raised my eyebrows in shock, but apparently Negan wasn't so shocked. 

"No problem. She needed my help. So I helped her. You guys know that I am sorry. About everything. Everyday." He told us. I nodded, and Daryl looked at the ground uncomfortably. The awkward encounter was broken when Rosita burst into the room, followed by Rick. 

Rick looked angry, but he softened when he saw us. "I told her that you guys weren't ready to talk, but she wouldn't listen." He explained. I nodded.

"It's fine. I know what you're here about, Rosita." I whispered. This was going to be difficult. She knew something was wrong, but I could see in her eyes that she still had hope. 

"Where is he?" She asked, looking around the room. I looked at Negan, unsure of what to say.

"We were stuck. He sacrificed himself to save us. I'm so sorry Rosita." Negan explained. She staggered backwards, but Rick caught her. 

"Rosita, he said to tell you that he loves you." I whispered. Tears ran down her cheeks as she ran out of the room. I looked at the floor. 

I realized how I already felt stronger, but after Eugene had brought what felt like 6 meals to me, I felt replenished. I got out of bed, and into some new clothes.

I found Daryl, with Stephanie, talking. "Hey, you ready?" He asked me. I nodded. 

"Let's do this." 


	122. See You On The Other Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Alana go to retrieve the blueprints, but will they get what they are looking for?

Chapter 7 (Season 11 Part 2) - See You On The Other Side

We arrived together at the lab facility. There were a few walkers outside, but enough for us to kill. We climbed up the back stairs, just as Stephanie had told us to do, and we entered. The door shut behind us. 

"She said they were down there." I pointed towards the ground floor. We both looked over the balcony, and I sighed. "Of course it wouldn't be that easy." 

"They're over there." Daryl pointed, and I followed his gaze. The blueprints were sure enough on a table on the ground floor. They looked untouched apart from a couple of blood splatters on the corners. But the bad thing was that they were completely surrounded by walkers. 

"But how are we going to get to it?" I asked him, looking around. 

"Wait, let me just tell them, she said she needed to know if they are there, because if not then she has to start worrying or something like that." He rolled his eyes jokingly and took out the walkie talkie. "Hey, this is Daryl and Alana. We have found the blueprints but they are surrounded by walkers. Give us a couple of minutes, and we'll probably be able to get them." He explained. 

"Ok, good luck." Stephanie's voice came on over the speaker, but she whispered, just in case any of the walkers heard. None of them had noticed us yet. 

"Wow, Mr optimist." I laughed. He smiled. But his smile disappeared when he noticed something amidst the herd of walkers. 

"Look." He pointed. And again, I followed his gaze. My eyes landed on a huge machine. It looked like a meat churner. 

"What's one of those doing in here? In a lab facility?" I asked. 

"I don't know, maybe they were doing some science experiment." He replied, grabbing things from around him. I looked at what he was taking, he had a rope, a hook, and some food. "Here, the food, just every little helps I suppose, put it in your bag. I'll use the hook to grab the blueprints, and you can use the rope to dangle me down." He explained. I raised an eyebrow, as he thrust the food at me. I put it in my bag, as I watched him tie the rope around his waist. 

"Daryl. What do you think you're doing? I'm not going to dangle you into a literal pit of death!" I exclaimed. He handed me the rope. But I didn't take it. 

"Alana, I promise you, I won't die. I promise you. And when you say it like that, it makes it sound cool." He smiled, he hugged me tightly, and angry tears started to fill my eyes. He noticed and put cupped my face between his hands comfortingly. "I'm still here, aren't I? And we have been through way worse things. We've got this. I promise you I'll be fine." He told me. Hesitantly, I took the rope in my hands and tied it to my prosthetic, so that it wouldn't break my leg.

"Daryl, I swear if you break your promise, I will kill every single walker in this room, even if it kills me." I told him, with a warning tone. He chuckled and checked the tightness on the rope. He nodded and reached the hook down towards the blueprints. 

"Holy shiiit." I whispered to myself. I tried to slow my breathing down, as I slowly used both of our combined strengths to dangle him down towards the blueprints. The hook touched the, but didn't hook on. "Oh shit. I'm bringing you up!" I started to pull, but he raised his hand. 

"I'm fine, I've got this!" He shouted back. The walkers started to notice our presence, and I felt my heartbeat start to hit the roof. I watched as the hook, successfully caught the blueprints, and he smiled up at me, but the smile disappeared. The walkers started to grab at his arms, none of them pierced his skin, but it was getting close. I let out a shriek as used all of my strength and the pole that rope was tied to, and my prosthetic. But the walkers were too strong. My prosthetic pulled out from under me and the rope pulled out of my hands. I heard a crash. And I looked over the balcony in horror. He was nowhere to be seen.

"DARYL!!" I shouted at the top of my voice, not caring if the walkers started to make their way up the stairs towards me. I let out a deafening scream of my pain, and tears tumbled down my cheeks. Everything felt empty. My breathing started to get shorter and shorter, and my hearing more distorted. I couldn't think of anything else, other than what had just happened. He had fallen. And it was my fault. 

The tears didn't stop, even for a second. I shrieked, and keeled over, I looked up at the grey ceiling, listening to the drip as each tear hit the metal floor. What had I done? I had lost him. My husband. My heart felt empty. I couldn't think. I couldn't speak or breathe. I wanted to jump in after him. But a walker pulled me away from the balcony and towards the wall. I listened as its jaw clicked, getting closer and closer and closer to my throat. But my instincts took over, and I drove my knife into its skull. I got to my feet. Fuelled with anger for every single one of those walkers. And myself. 

But reality hit me again, making me stagger backwards. 

He was gone.


	123. Empty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will the loss prove too big for Alana?

Chapter 8 (Season 11 Part 2) - Empty

My breathing shortened to nothing, and my heart rate became erratic. 

I stumbled out of the facility in a daze and headed slowly towards Atlanta. I ignored the walkers following me, and didn't hear when the gate opened. I didn't hear when the walkers were shot, and I was rushed inside. And I didn't hear as people tried to talk to me. 

I was brought out of my daze when something hit me. Literally. I realized that someone had punched me, and I looked up. Rick. "Alana! I'm so sorry, I only did it to get you out of your trance. Can you tell us what happened? Where is Daryl?" He asked. I stuttered. 

"He- he wanted to be dangled into the herd so that he could get the blueprints. And he got them. But- but they pulled him down. He promised me. He-he promised that he would be able to do it." I whispered. Rick staggered backwards, tears spilling down. 

"He's gone?" Rick whispered. He left the room. And I dissolved into sobs. Maggie ran up to me, and I could hear Carol crying outside. It was all too much. 

"Alana. Oh my god, I'm so sorry." Maggie hugged me tightly. 

"It's all my fault. They all blame me for what happened. If I wasn't here, he would still be with you all. He wouldn't have d-d" I stuttered, in between sobs. 

"Shhh, shh, it's ok. Nobody blames you for what happened. They're all just sad. But it's not your fault, Alana, you hear me?" She looked me in the eye when she said it. And I nodded, shakily. But then I started sobbing again when a thought popped into my dazed mind. 

"Oh, what am I going to tell the girls? How do I tell them that their Dad has-" I started to say, but Maggie hugged me again. 

"It's ok. You don't have to tell them straight away." She whispered. 

After a while, she left to go and get some water for me. And I was still crying. Suddenly a wave of nausea washed over me, and I ran to a nearby bucket and threw up. But I continued crying afterwards. I heard someone run over as I leaned against the wall, my head in my hands. They sat down next to me and put an arm around me. They pulled me close and rested their head reassuringly on mine. I opened my eyes and recognized Rick's familiar boots. 

"It's ok. Alana, it's ok." He whispered. 

"It's not!" I replied, sobbing. I could hear the shakiness in his voice, which indicated he was still crying too. 

"We're gonna go back. And we are going to get those blueprints. And I think you should come too. Everyone else is against it, but I think it would be a good idea for you to give those walkers hell. It might help." He explained. I raised my head, and he looked me in the eye. I knew that I may look a mess, but I didn't care because I knew Rick like a brother. He hugged me one more time, before helping me to my feet. He wiped away my tears, and I took out my knife. 

"Let's go and get those mother fuckers." I whispered. I walked out of the room, nothing but anger driving me. I saw people looking at me, but I focused on where I was going rather than anything else. I vaguely heard people following me towards the lab, but again, I made sure all I could think about was driving my knife as hard as I could into each and every walker in that building. 

We arrived and I kicked the ground floor door down. I knew that we were supposed to go through the back entrance but I didn't care. I stabbed walker after walker. I plowed through the herd until the only thing left of them was the blood splattered all over me. I could see a few walkers left, and I walked over to them, but instantly stopped when I saw the blueprints on the table. Then it all hit me. I let out a gasp and fell to my knees. I heard the walkers start to get closer and closer, but I could think about how he had fallen. How his eyes had looked at me, not full of fear, but full of apologies. I braced myself as I felt a walker's cold hand grab my arm. But it a familiar sound shot it to the ground with a thud. I shot up to my feet and turned around faster than ever.

Those bright blue eyes looked back at me. He was alive. 


	124. Made A Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Promises were made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the penultimate chapter of the series. :)

Chapter 9 (Season 11 Part 2) - Made A Promise

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I was shocked.

Standing before me, was Daryl. He had a couple of blood droplets on his cheek, but other than that, he looked fine.

“How did you- you died?” I gasped. He pulled me to my feet and brought me in for a tight hug.

“I promised you, didn’t I? I promised that I would be ok. And here I am.” He whispered.

“Daryl?” Rick’s voice came from behind me. There were some hurried footsteps and the group joined me in one large hug. Smiling, we all stepped back, as I was still covered in walker blood, and it had started to get on others, but I knew that most of them didn’t care.

After everyone composed themself, I looked at him, not sure what emotion to show, but feeling all of them at once. 

"What-what happened to you? Alana said that you'd died." Rick stuttered.

"I thought I had too. But I fell under the tables, and I stabbed a couple of the walkers to get out, and I crawled over to the staircase, but I couldn't get out because there were too many of them. I waited for a bit, knowing that you would come back, and Alana cleared them all, somehow." He explained, smiling at me as he spoke.

I hugged him again. But quickly, I noticed him looking around the room, and then I realized something. "Do we have the blueprints?" I asked Rick. He nodded, brandishing them in his hand. "Let's get out of this place." I sighed. 

When we arrived back at the city, the gates opened and there was a blur. I watched smiling as Beth and Lilly jumped onto Daryl, causing them all to fall to the ground laughing. "Wow. They must have missed you as much as I did." I smiled. 

After we had carefully extracted the children from him, we walked through the streets, and towards the apartment. It had started to get dark. 

I pushed the door open and closed it behind him. "Do you remember when we came here and spent the night here when we were looking for Beth?" I asked him, remembering the night very well. He chuckled, remembering too. I sat him down on the bed and brought over my first aid bag to check him over. 

As I did so, he spoke, "Are you ok?" He asked me. 

"You just almost died, and you're asking me if I'm ok?" I laughed in disbelief. He nodded, and I sighed, putting down the first aid things, and trying to clear my thoughts. "No. I thought I had killed you, Daryl. I'm so so sorry, for putting you through that, I should have held the rope tighter in my hands." I started to break down in tears, and he hugged me tightly.

"I think that if you held that rope any tighter, it made have dissolved in your hands." He smiled, he turned my palms upwards showing the redness from where I had gripped the rope. "It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. And I'm still here, so it doesn't matter." He whispered. He kissed me, making all of my thoughts clear immediately, and one thought stayed. 

"I love you, Dixon." I whispered.

"I love you too, street girl." He replied, and continued to show how much he loved me.

We woke up, tangled in bed, and the walkie talkie blasting in my ear. I sat up and turned it on. 

"Hey wake up, everyone. It's time for construction to begin."


	125. As The Sun Goes Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 years later, construction has finished. And the community is thriving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its the final chapter!   
> Thank you so much for reading this story, it was my first ever fanfiction, and I'm super happy and grateful that I am able to do this because publishing these chapters has really improved my confidence when it comes to writing. And as an added bonus, I love the walking dead with my whole heart is amazing and I'm extremely grateful that I could use it for my first ever fanfiction. Thank you so much for reading, I'm going to be doing a walking dead game fanfiction soon, so I hope you enjoy. I am also leaving this fanfiction in a way so that if I want or need to I can add a couple more seasons in the far future. So for the final time, I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 10 (Season 11 Part 2) - As The Sun Goes Down

It had been 2 years since I had found Daryl in the lab. And I was walking over to where the final brick in the wall was being placed. When this brick was placed, Atlanta would be complete and fit for a community to thrive in it, even in the apocalypse. 

I walked over to the crowd, where everyone was waiting. Lots of people had joined the community during construction, so there were more people now. Rick stood with Judith, RJ, and Michonne. I walked and stood next to them with Daryl, Beth, and Lilly, as we watched Stephanie place the brick. Everyone agreed that it would be fitting for her to place the brick, seeing as she was the one that created the blueprints and the entire idea of rebuilding Atlanta. 

In fact, Stephanie was pregnant, and I remember that I had to calm her down when I told her at the infirmary. She had hyperventilated, and I was there to help tell Eugene that he was going to be a dad soon. It was so sweet, that it made me cry. 

I watched as Stephanie picked the brick up, and the entire crowd when silent, waiting for it, she slid it into the final hole, and the crowd went wild. We had scavenged a bar or two for some alcohol for the celebration, and when she placed the brick everyone sprayed decade-old champagne everywhere. I laughed, as some caught us. I smiled at Rick and Daryl. And Carol. He was standing with Aaron and Gracie. She had taken up the role of a mother over Gracie, and Aaron was close with her. But I knew that it was a platonic love for one another, but that made it even sweeter. They lived together. Just the three of them, and it made me smile. Carol finally had a family, that she knew would stay with her forever. 

After everyone had finished the first celebration, we headed back to our homes to get ready for the party that was being held in the city hall, it had been built in place of the old hospital, and a statue of Gabriel was built in the courtyard so that no one would forget his sacrifice. Flowers were placed there every day, and the children would be told stories about him and everyone else we had lost in the history lessons at the new school. We dropped the children off with Judith and RJ, at the school, where a separate party was being held for the kids. There was a disco ball and no alcohol. A perfect party for them.

I put on one of the dresses that I had left in my wardrobe before everything had started, and it had been taken by anyone. I looked in the mirror in the apartment and saw myself. I had the same hair, and I thought that it would start to be getting grey soon, but there were no signs. It was still brown. My hazel eyes had bags under them, but my freckles were still visible. Daryl walked up behind me, he was wearing exactly the same thing he usually wore, but that was the best. I smiled at him. 

"You look beautiful." He told me. I laughed. I had decorated the apartment with as many pictures of everyone as I could find. They were everywhere so that they would always be with us. Even in our new home. We had added extensions to the apartment. Separate rooms for the girls, as they were starting to get older, and starting to argue more. They were closer though, as Beth had taught Lilly how to defend herself against walkers. And Daryl and I had supervised in case anything happened. 

"Ready for another party?" I asked him. He sighed but nodded. It was still light outside, but we walked to the town hall and was instantly hit by the smell of alcohol and the sound music. I staggered backward instinctively to get away from the loud sounds, in case any walkers came. But Daryl laughed. 

"We don't have to do that anymore. We're safe now. There are walls that could stop a tank from getting through." He smiled. 

"You're right. But I don't want us to lose our cautiousness, for when we go back out there in the future." I told him. He nodded and we entered the bright and vibrant city hall, together. 

2 hours later, the sun was starting to go down, and the city hall had cleared out. People were heading home. Daryl had left early, but I already knew where to find him. As I walked, I saw Rick and Michonne arm in arm walking home together, I waved, and Michonne waved back and Rick winked, making us all laugh. I saw Carol walking with Gracie, they were both smiling. I didn't interrupt them. Negan was a trusted leader here now. He was in charge of looking after the kids, as we were surprised to find out that before the world had gone to shit, he had worked as p.e teacher. 

Shiva was the community pet, and she was looked after by everyone. She bounded around everywhere, and she often followed me around, but I didn't mind. I was the community doctor, but I would never forget what Hershel had taught me. I was eternally grateful for what he had done for me, and I would never forget that. 

I walked further and further until I made it. We hadn't changed the old camp that much, instead we had built a graveyard there. In place of where we had first camped and Dale had parked the RV. It had a beautiful white fence, and vines and colorful flowers growing everywhere. The graves overlooked the city and landscape. It was so beautiful that it made a tear appear in my eye every time I went there. There was a huge tree that we had planted there at the start of the build, that now towered over the graves. 

I opened the fence gate and walked past the graves, towards where Daryl was sitting next to them. He was watching the sunset down past the city and the skyline. I sat down next to him and noticed that he had the yellow walkman in. He took out one headphone and placed it in my ear. I rested my head against his shoulder and he placed his arm around me. I noticed that we were in the graveyard area that was built for our group in particular. There was everyone around us. Everyone that had been lost to get us here. But I knew that they were at peace now. And that I would see them again one day, I just had to be patient.

"You ok?" I asked him. 

"Yeah. Rick invited us round to his for some dinner. Let's go." He smiled. He got to his feet and helped me up to mine. As he walked off towards Rick's house, I took one look back, before following the love of my life back to my family. 

Because this is who they were. I was finally at peace. With my family. And I knew, that this time, we were safe at last. 


End file.
